One Week in Kyushu
by Zero Unit RGB
Summary: Tokoyami decides to go to Kyushu for his on-the-field training after the Sports Festival. Much to his surprise, Shouji is also headed to the same destination. So the two end up getting closer as their work experiences help them work towards becoming true pro heroes. Hope you all enjoy and please leave reviews! I'm on Ao3 and Tumblr as ZeroUnitRGB.
1. Chapter 1

"You're going to Kyushu? That's the other way," Kirishima directed.

Tokoyami nodded, picking up his things and turning around. "Thanks."

Tokoyami had three-hundred and sixty offers from hero agencies across the country. Trying to narrow down the list to a hero that he believed he would get the most out of was difficult. There were some that were really strong or those that knew how to work the media. Just who could teach him how to get closer to number one?

Even though Todoroki and Bakugou both got thousands of offers, they made their decisions almost instantly. The former wanted to watch his father work up close while the latter just chose the one with the highest rank, number four hero, Best Jeanist. Others, like Koda decided to take advantage of the forty agencies and chose an office closer to home. Then there was Uraraka who decided on trying to cover her weaknesses by going to Gunhead.

In the end, Tokoyami settled on Morning Crow. There was an irony in choosing a hero whose name was a contradiction to his own. But perhaps that's why Morning Crow sought out Tokoyami as well, someone of the light and someone of the dark. Or perhaps he's thinking too deeply into it since Morning Crow was also on Todoroki's list.

"I've never been outside Shizuoka before," Tokoyami muttered as he navigated the station. "I hope I don't get lost."

Just then a large figure sauntered up to his side. "Are you heading to Kyushu?"

"Hm?" Tokoyami glanced up, surprised to see Shouji going in the same direction as he. "I am, I figured it would be a nice experience to leave my comfort zone." A thought occurred to him then. "Oh that's right, you're from Fukuoka. Did you decide to work at an office close to home?"

"Mm, I haven't been back since school started," said Shouji.

U.A. wasn't a boarding school but its reputation is so first-class that students from all over the nation competed in the entrance exam to get in. Those that lived outside the prefecture often had to move into an apartment complex just so that they could attend classes. In class A, Shouji lived the furthest away being the only one from Kyushu.

"Think I can stick by you?" asked Tokoyami. "I've never ridden a bullet train before."

Shouji nodded. "Sure. If we have the time, I can even show you around Fukuoka."

As they boarded, they noticed a lot of people looking and whispering about the students. No surprise there. Tokoyami was one of the more popular faces from the U.A. sports festival having taken third place among the sixteen competitors of the final event. People also recognized Shouji, referring to him as the one-man army from the cavalry battle though he was technically supporting Mineta and Asui.

They found a spot away from prying eyes, seating themselves across from one another so that they could talk more easily. It was clear that Tokoyami was trying to act cool, crossing his arms and shutting his eyes as he always does. But he kept finding some moment to look out the window as he minutely bounced in his seat like a little kid.

"Whose office are you going to anyway?" asked Shouji.

"Morning Crow," Tokoyami replied. "The Lightspeed Hero."

"I've seen him in action before," said Shouji. "He works near my neighborhood."

The train ride would take about five hours to get from Shizuoka to Fukuoka. So they had a lot of time to themselves.

Until they got there, they talked about everything they had gone through in the few short months since entering high school. It was still unbelievable that they had to face a real villain attack so soon. Shouji had been beside himself with worry, wondering about where the others had been warped to and how they were doing. The shadow mist alone was dangerous enough to nearly kill a pro hero.

"I was never close to my classmates before," said Shouji, "but everyone in our class is really likable."

"A little noisy sometimes," Tokoyami remarked.

Shouji smiled a little. "True."

The bird-man looked down at the morphed hand. His large classmate never seemed to speak with his actual mouth, preferring to use his Quirk in order to communicate and even eat. There were still some mysteries about one another that they had all yet to learn about.

"Why do you wear a mask?" asked Tokoyami. "If you're not comfortable, you don't have to tell me."

"It's not really a big deal," Shouji shrugged.

Tokoyami took out a thermos filled with green tea, poured it into a cup and pushed it forward. "Go on."

"You seem uncharacteristically enthused about hearing this," said Shouji.

Tokoyami took a sip from his own cup. "Just tell me already."

"Well you see, a long time ago," said Shouji, "my peers in kindergarten told me that my face is really scary. There was a serial killer that was on every TV screen with a similar mouth to mine so they started a rumor that I was his son. As an aspiring hero, I didn't want people to associate me with such an awful villain so I started hiding my mouth."

With such a dramatic opening, Tokoyami found himself leaning forward and clinging onto every word. "I didn't realize you could be self-conscious."

"Well, if anyone is curious," Shouji replied, "I'll show them."

The scenery outside moved at several kilometers per hour. The city had vanished, slowly transitioning into the verdant green of trees and shrubbery. After the world continued to shift into new forms for another minute, Tokoyami realized that Shouji was waiting for the go-ahead.

"Could you show me?" asked Tokoyami.

Shouji nodded though he was hesitant, not quite reaching up to remove the mask until he took a few deep breaths. But his fingers twitched to a stop just a centimeter away. His head was running with possible scenarios as to how Tokoyami would react. The most common expression he had seen in his childhood was fear. When someone would call out to him and he'd turn around, they'd recoil in fright.

"I'm sorry," said Shouji. "I know I said it wasn't a big deal…"

Tokoyami raised a hand. "It's fine. We all have our secrets."

"Even you?"

"Of course." Tokoyami tapped his fingers on the table in between them, thinking about everything that he could potentially reveal. His nightmares of Dark Shadow going berserk, his insomnia that came as a result of that, the fact that he sleeps with a nightlight, his habit of making late night impulse purchases online, and his other habit of eating raw pasta. "None of which I shall divulge at this moment. Or ever."

Shouji chuckled a little. "That's disappointing."

"Did you just laugh?"

"I _am_ capable of that."

It was still the first time Tokoyami had ever heard it and it seemed to have come from behind the mask rather than from a morphed hand. He wouldn't admit it out loud but there was something pleasant about hearing his classmate's laughter. It made him feel at ease.

They decided to kill time with some movies. Tokoyami figured he'd be bored on the train so he packed some books, comics, and his laptop. Shouji admitted that he didn't have anything other than the bare necessities at his own place. Oftentimes, on the train to and from home, he would just nap or study. So it was a nice change of pace to do something that his peers would do.

Tokoyami's entire selection was comprised of horror movies. It seemed predictable for that to be the case but Shouji liked that. They settled on _The Call of Cthulhu_ and likewise, Tokoyami felt that was predictable of Shouji to choose. As they were loading up the film, they took out their bento boxes and when they saw the contents of the other's, they nearly burst out into fits of laughter.

"Octopus sausage and takoyaki," Tokoyami grinned. "As expected of you."

"I could say the same about you," Shouji replied, "apple slices and chicken balls."

They decided to sit on the same side of the booth so that they wouldn't have to stretch out the earbuds. The real surprise came when they realized that neither of them had visible ears. Tokoyami managed to plug it into the side of his head and Shouji had to spend a solid ten seconds trying to figure out if that was just how bird heads worked. As for Shouji, his hair simply covered his ear.

"It's a maddeningly dark movie," said Tokoyami. "I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

Shouji missed the opening seconds of the movie because of hearing that. "I've never heard anyone use the word maddening."

Tokoyami bit his tongue. "Uh… It's a… good… movie. I meant."

"I liked what you said before more."

They spent the remaining few hours like this. They talked about food, films, and what to expect in their on-the-field training. It was weird but in the classroom, they felt they had to maintain stoic expressions and quiet demeanors. They even preferred not to speak unless spoken to. Except when it came to Koda who was a great listening ear. But it was easy to lower their guards when it was just them. It showed just how quickly they'd come to trust one another.

Finally, the train pulled into Fukuoka station. The students grabbed their hero costumes and travel bags, quickly disembarking. As they stepped onto the platform, there was a flash of light and a muscular man in a white, feathered bird mask and a Japanese sword attached to his waist appeared in front of them.

"Welcome, Tsukuyomi!" the man boomed.

The entire platform stopped to look. A second of silence passed before the people erupted into excited chatter about seeing a pro hero.

 **Name** : Asahi Hatori

 **Hero Name** : Morning Crow

 **Quirk** : Lightspeed; he's able to move at incredible speeds, leaving streaks of white light in his wake. His bones are also lightweight so it's easy for him to maneuver his body through tight turns and spaces though he wears a special suit that sends a buzz whenever he's getting too close to another physical object so as to not crash into them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" said Crow, grabbing Tokoyami's free hand in both of his, shaking it firmly. "I'm Morning Crow!."

"It's an honor to meet you, sir," Tokoyami replied, eyes still bugging out by the abruptness of the entire situation. "But, um, I thought I was going to meet you at your office. I didn't know you were going to come see me here."

"I got impatient," Crow replied before looking up at Shouji. "Ah, you were in the sports festival too, weren't you?" He laughed boisterously as he shook the other boy's hand as well. "That's why you looked so familiar! You're a Fukuoka local!"

Shouji was just as shocked as his classmate. "You recognized me?"

"Of course! Not many kids have your stature and face," Crow chuckled.

The students realized what was bothering them. The pro hero wasn't completely there, it was like he was a hologram. But the truth was, they were speaking to an aftershadow of the real Morning Crow. He was taking selfies and giving autographs to the others at the same time as welcoming the students. So they decided to move to a more private area.

Shouji was allowed to follow along and he was curious since this was the first time he'd ever spoken to Morning Crow before. The impression that the Lightspeed Hero gave was serious and noble, someone who made quick work of villains with his never-dull blade. But the man that stood before them, laughing as much as he was, didn't fit that image whatsoever. He also had time before his scheduled meeting.

They found a quaint cat cafe where they could talk. Purring felines rested on the seats, booths, and the bar, curling up beside the few customers there. Not many people frequented that neighborhood and those that did, were there for the peace and quiet so no one bothered the trio that got three coffees and sat in a corner booth.

"Let me start," said Crow, "by telling you why I nominated you."

Dark Shadow appeared from his host's back. "There's a reason other than impressing you?"

Crow nodded, tearing open a little bag of sugar cubes and dumping all of it into his chai latte. The very opposite of Tokoyami's pitch black mug. "You see, watching you in the sports festival, I could tell that you're a very reserved and serious kid. In other words, I chose you because you're boring."

"What!" Tokoyami actually squacked.

Shouji snorted, covering his mouth as his shoulders convulsed, trying to stifle his laughter. It was the first time he had to do such a thing.

"What I mean is, you've replaced having fun with your goals of becoming a hero," Crow clarified. "Being serious about hero work and striving for number one is great. But if that's all you ever think about, you'll lose sight of other important things in your life."

Tokoyami remembered that Morning Crow had also scouted Todoroki. That must meant that they were chosen for the same reason.

"What about Bakugou Katsuki?" asked Tokoyami. "I feel like he's even more narrow-minded than we are."

"No, it's clear that he gets joy out of combat and victory," Crow replied. He knocked back his cup of coffee as though he was chugging it. But it only made contact with his lips for five seconds before it was drained completely. The cup was empty when he slammed it back down. "So he's having fun… not the kind of fun _I'm_ into, but fun."

Neither student could deny that.

"Plus, I can only nominate two students max."

Shouji had to leave then but he wished Tokoyami luck. After the telltale jingle signalling that he had gone, Crow pulled out a map of the prefecture. Every hot tourist destination was marked, circled in red marker. They also had post-it notes explaining what each location had to offer.

"Okay, so where do you want go first?" asked Crow. "Some places are popular date spots too so you can invite your boyfriend."

"B—Boyfriend?!" Tokoyami blushed.

Underneath the bird costume, Crow's pupils darted towards the window, watching the receding form of Shouji's broad back. "Wait, am I wrong? You two seemed so comfortable in each other's presence that I thought for sure…"

"Sh—Shouji and I are just friends," stammered Tokoyami, "I—I can assure you of that."

Dark Shadow made another appearance. "But would they make a good couple?"

Crow's entire training regiment involved helping Tokoyami become more comfortable with who he was so that he wouldn't be so closed-off around others. The best way to do that was to have someone they're already really close to as a framework. Usually, people that close would certainly make good romantic partners. But Crow didn't want to start things off by making things awkward.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed," said Crow. He folded up the map, sliding it into his suit. "Why don't I show you around town?"

Tokoyami was told to change into his hero costume in the bathroom. After he suited up in his black cloak, he and Morning Crow stepped back out onto the street. It was then that Crow explained that his sidekick, Aquila, was his eyes in the sky. When a villain attack happened, he would be contacted and then immediately take off to fight.

"So I usually don't do ordinary patrols," Crow explained.

Tokoyami had done some research in class. A quick Google search on the pro hero resulted in a bunch of social media results of people posting about seeing or meeting Morning Crow at the mall, amusement parks, or in restaurants. He was never seen in his civilian clothes because no one knew how he looked like. Did that mean patrols were replaced with hanging out with fans and having the "fun" he spoke of?

"Hero work really is diverse," Tokoyami commented.

Morning Crow threw his head back in laughter. "You got that right!"

"What if," said Tokoyami, "I don't want to be a hero like you?"

Crow rubbed at his chin in thought, knowing that this was a genuine question and not an attack on how he worked. "Well, it'll be up to you in the end. But you have a week to learn what you can from me. So either way, this will be an experience that will guide you in your hero career. In what direction, even I don't know."

For that day, they would do a regular patrol. It was a fundamental for most heroes so it was important for Tokoyami to get the experience of. But with such a well-known and friendly hero by his side, they got a lot of attention, getting stopped multiple times. Before long, the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in streaks of bright orange and red, so Crow decided to take his charge to the hotel he had arranged for the student to stay at for the week.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight," said Crow, returning from the front desk.

Tokoyami took the room key from his mentor. "Thank you."

It was a slow day. There weren't any villain attacks but it was clear that the civilians were happy upon seeing their local savior walking around. Perhaps going around and having fun yielded the same effect in town. Well, Tokoyami would find out the next day when they followed the schedule to go to Fukuoka castle.

"By the way," Crow continued, "you'll get to meet my sidekick tomorrow as well so be sure to give a good impression. Although I don't doubt you'll get along. Aquila's also a pretty serious fellow no matter how much I try to get him to loosen up."

"But he still works with you?"

"He says it's to keep me in line."

That didn't surprise Tokoyami whatsoever. During their entire patrol, Morning Crow was doing more flirting and picture taking than protecting. He even decided that the first lesson to teach the teenager was to establish a signature for autographs.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Tokoyami bowed. "Have a good night, Morning Crow, sir."

Crow returned the gesture with a broad smile. "You too, Tsukuyomi!"

Tokoyami was wondering if he had chosen the right agency to work for. He still hadn't even seen the hero's office yet. But the decision was already made so he was going to take the most from this work experience. If there was going to be anything to take from it.

The hotel room was high-class. Windows on the far wall, overlooking the city. A soft, freshly made bed against the center of the wall with nightstands to either side. A lamp in the corner, a television set on the opposite end, and a small shower next to the front door. Before he could even remove his shoes to walk on the scarlet carpeted floors, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

* _BUZZ_ *

[Shouji]: _I was let off early. Where are you staying?_

Tokoyami stared at the screen for the longest time. All he could think about was what Crow had said earlier that day. So as soon as he dropped his things and closed the curtains to darken the room, he face-planted right into the bed. Anything to avoid responding for the moment.

"He'll worry if you don't reply soon," Dark Shadow remarked.

"I _will_ turn on the lights," Tokoyami threatened.

Tokoyami had to get it out of his head. So he sat up, threw his legs over the side, took a few deep breaths, and then picked up his phone once more. It shouldn't be such a big deal. It was just an offhanded assumption from someone who had been a stranger just a day ago. Nothing changed between him and his classmate.

[Tokoyami]: _An inn on main street._ _You?_

[Shouji]: _I'm staying at home._ _You're actually really close to my house._

[Shouji]: _Have you eaten dinner yet? My mom says you can come over if you'd like._

Dark Shadow creeped in close to his host's ears, hovering right over the bright phone screen. Like a serial killer that had just found their next victim hiding in the closet, he whispered, "You're already going to meet his parents?"

Tokoyami turned on the flashlight and turned the phone around, blinding both himself and his vocal Quirk. But it was worth it to get Dark Shadow to shut up and retract into his body. Once he blinked the bright flashes out of his eyes, he typed back a response.

[Tokoyami]: _Sure. That sounds fun._

Shouji said he'd meet him down at the lobby. It was hard to miss a six-foot tall teenager with six arms so they were able to connect quickly. As they were heading out into the warm late spring night, they talked about how the on-the-field training was going so far. Apparently, the Iron Hero, Metalhead, went on a whole spiel about the basics of being a hero and that filled up most of the day.

"I found out he doesn't like Morning Crow very much apparently," said Shouji.

"I can't blame him," Tokoyami sighed. "Crow wants to take me sightseeing."

"And here I was hoping to show you around," Shouji chuckled.

It sounded like Metalhead had a strict regimen laid out for the U.A. student involving scheduled patrols and one-hour conditioning periods. So there wouldn't be much time for breaks. But that was something to be expected. It was Morning Crow's loose ideology and overly casual disposition that was unusual in this case.

They soon arrived at Shouji's house. Like any other suburban household, everyone removed their shoes at the entrance before crossing the threshold and onto the hardwood floors. Passing through the hallway and following the aroma of home cooking, was the kitchen. A four-armed woman in a plain white apron stood at the stove doing several things at once.

"Mom, I'm home," Shouji called.

Tokoyami bowed when the woman turned around. "Thank you for having me."

The woman before them stood at twenty centimeters taller than Tokoyami. Unlike her son, her face was completely exposed with her black hair combed all the way back and thin pink lips free to speak. Though it was clear that Shouji had inherited his Quirk from her.

"Welcome home, Mezo," she smiled before directing her attention on their guest. "And you must be Tokoyami-kun. Oh, you were absolutely wonderful during the sports festival. Taking third place is certainly something to be proud of."

"Oh, thank you," Tokoyami replied, feeling rather timid all of a sudden.

"You can just call me Mimi," the woman continued. "Mezo, honey, can you help me set up the table?"

Tokoyami watched the pair get to work, getting things done quickly and efficiently, functioning together like a well-oiled machine. As soon as Mimi finished cooking a dish, she would hand it off to Shouji who could reach both the pantry and the table at the same time. Another set of hands even got to work spooning rice into porcelain bowls. Before long, the sashimi, shrimp tempura, tonkatsu, miso soup, and soy sauce were laid out without spilling a drop onto the rectangular mahogany table.

"Do you want to sit next to me?" asked Shouji.

Everything happened so fast that Tokoyami was caught off guard by the question. "Oh, uh, sure."

"Does your Quirk have to eat?" inquired Mimi, seating herself across from the boys.

"No," Tokoyami replied. "But thank you for considering Dark Shadow."

Shouji didn't remove his mask at home. Mimi didn't say a word about it either. So maybe he had asked her not to mention anything while Tokoyami was over or Shouji just genuinely didn't take off his mask ever. Of course, Tokoyami didn't say anything about that.

"Thanks for the food!"

Tokoyami also couldn't help noticing that there were only two people and a table that seat four. Back home, it was a similar situation, being only the boy and his father. But unlike there, Tokoyami didn't know the circumstances surrounding the absence of a second parent. Tokoyami decided not to bring it up for the night. It was too pleasant to ruin by accidentally bringing up possible bad memories.

"Mimi-san, your food is delicious!"

"I'm so happy you like it! It's nice to hear compliments once in a while."

"Mom… You make it sound like I don't appreciate you."

Well, even if the work experience wasn't all that it was made out to be, at least Tokoyami would be able to get closer to one of his friends. In the past, he always kept his peers at an arm's length. But it was nice to let down his guard for once.


	2. Chapter 2

At eight o'clock on the dot, Morning Crow appeared in the lobby with the use of his Quirk, blowing a random newspaper along with him. Tokoyami jumped back in shock when his mentor appeared directly in front of him. This was probably how they were going to meet one another for the remainder of the week so he was going to have to get used to it.

"Good morning, Tsukuyomi," Crow greeted. "I hope you slept well!"

Tokoyami bowed respectfully. "I did, thank you."

They traded a few more pleasantries as they headed towards a man standing with his arms crossed at the entrance with the head of a harpy eagle and two wings sprouting from his back. The hero introduced the stoic figure as his sidekick, Aquila. He gave off an incredibly intimidating aura. It felt like if you said the wrong thing, he'd gouge your eyes out with his beak.

"It's nice to meet you," said Aquila, his tone devoid of emotion and several octaves below his boss. "I watched your performance at the sports festival. I was impressed by your skill but your weakness is as clear as the day your Quirk hides from."

 **Name** : Washio Eiri

 **Hero Name** : Aquila

 **Quirk** : Eagle, he can do anything that an eagle can. His sharpened eyesight can catch enemies over three kilometers away and he can fly at one-hundred and sixty kilometers per hour. When he finds his villain targets, he can dive down at twice that speed.

"Is it really that obvious?" Tokoyami muttered.

"Nothing can escape my eyes," was all Aquila said in response.

In Crow's eagerness to start the day, he actually left the office without the communication devices to help the trio stay in contact. But he pretended to have done it on purpose so that they could show the student the home base for the agency. Aquila told their intern the truth though while they were walking in the back. Crow was just plain forgetful sometimes.

"Sometimes?"

"Most times."

The office was on the top floor of a tall building. Stupidly, Tokoyami had expected a professional setting. Shelves of books and files on proper hero work. A couch where clients or guests could come in and sit with a coffee table for snacks to be served to them. And a desk where the hero does his paperwork and checks his schedule on a planner and a tiny calendar on the corner.

Of course Morning Crow wouldn't have those things. At least, not in the way the boy pictured it.

Upon entering the room, the first thing to notice was the fact that natural morning light filled the entire space from the glass wall overlooking the city. At the far end of the room was shelves… of manga with famous titles in full display on the spines. Splitting them in the center was an actual brick fireplace with flames crackling in the pit. Two massive armchairs sat in front and there was a bearskin rug in the middle of the room. Finally, there was the desk that Tokoyami imagined. With a game controller lying on it.

"Tell me you're kidding," Tokoyami stated.

Aquila let out a sigh. "Looks like a pre-teen's idea of a mancave, right?"

Dark Shadow popped out, looking around the room. "I don't know, I think it's nice."

Morning Crow ignored their comments as he trotted up to the desk, pulled open a drawer, and tossed the pair earpieces. "Believe it or not, Tsukuyomi, but I take my job very seriously. It's how I ranked in the top twenty most popular heroes." He took a breath before looking over at his sidekick. "Aquila, give him a quick tour."

"Why do I have to do it?" Aquila asked.

"I have to take care of personal business."

The sidekick sighed again, knowing that this was basically code for 'use the bathroom.' So as the pro hero left the room to use the restroom in the hall, Tokoyami started wandering around. He silently admitted to himself that he really did like the decor and interior design. He wouldn't put them in an office but perhaps at home.

Tokoyami started looking through the comics. "Why do you work for him?"

Aquila glanced out the hallway, wanting to make sure that Crow wasn't going to suddenly appear like he always does. "I was drawn to him when I saw him fight as a child," said Aquila. "While his demeanor may seem juvenile, he _is_ a wonderful hero. I give him a lot of flack about his work ethic but I truly admire his skill and dedication greatly."

Tokoyami wasn't expecting such high praise to come from such a serious-looking fellow. But as he was about to return to the man's side, he noticed a framed picture on the fireplace mantle. It showed a smiling family, a father, a mother, and a daughter maybe five years old. They were seated close together in a grassy area, beaming through the glass.

"Is this Morning Crow's family?" asked Tokoyami.

Aquila's expression hadn't changed but his muscles had tensed. "It is." He didn't say much more.

Tokoyami felt that he had accidentally stepped into territory that he wasn't supposed to so he didn't press. Perhaps it was simply Aquila's personal policy not to speak on someone else's personal life. This was also his boss too so it made sense.

By the time he finished looking around, Morning Crow had zipped right back into the room. They were ready to start the day.

Aquila took for the skies as soon as they were back outside, telling them that he would call if he noticed anything strange. Meanwhile, Tokoyami and Crow started on their way for Fukuoka castle. It wasn't like the hero-in-training didn't want to go sightseeing but this week was supposed to help him learn more about the ins and outs of his desired profession, not act as a tourist.

Crow animatedly blabbered on about the history of their destination, with interludes of signings and photos. So Tokoyami couldn't really catch much of it as he followed close behind. Not to mention, while he had good battle sense, paying attention to lectures wasn't one of his strong points. As he was rolling his eyes away from another selfie with a group of teenage girls, he noticed a familiar face crossing the street perpendicular to them.

Dark Shadow popped and waved enthusiastically. "Shouji! Over here!"

Shouji looked over and returned the wave. "Tokoyami, Dark Shadow!"

"Good morning," Tokoyami chuckled.

Standing beside the student was the pro hero, Metalhead. A man as tall and buff as All Might but with a resting face that made him seem completely unapproachable. His hero costume consisted of Japanese army fatigues and a black mask that went over his eyes.

 **Name** : Kinzo Tetsurou

 **Hero Name** : Metalhead

 **Quirk** : Iron, allows him to harden his entire body into iron which greatly increases his defensive and offensive abilities.

Morning Crow noticed the fellow hero and a broad smile appeared on his face. Metalhead clearly didn't reciprocate the feeling as he reluctantly followed his young charge over. There was obviously a lot of history between the two of them. As heroes, they acted friendly enough in front of the public but when the cameras were off, who knew what kind of drama existed.

"Kinzo-san!" Crow said cheerily. "So this neighborhood is under your jurisdiction!"

Metalhead crossed his arms and cocked his head upwards as if he wasn't looking down on the other hero enough. "First, you call me Metalhead when I'm on duty. Second, it is so what are you doing here? You don't do patrols."

Crow placed his hands on Tokoyami's shoulders. "Just showing my nominee around."

Metalhead raised a brow as the student bowed, introducing himself by his hero name. "If I remember correctly… you're Tokoyami Fumikage. The kid who got third place. I'm guessing you ended up choosing this guy without knowing about his aloof personality."

"I can't lie," Tokoyami replied, "that is exactly what happened."

"A kid with your potential shouldn't be wasting away in Crow's office," said Metalhead, a cocky smirk on his face. "If you want, I can take you under my wing for the week. I have no issue with teaching two of you at the same time although it's not traditional."

It was a rather enticing offer, one that Tokoyami had to pause to think about it. So he stood completely still and silent as he processed the pros and cons. So far, the pros of switching over was outweighing the cons and it could be read from his unchanging facial expression.

"If it won't be a bother—."

"Tsukuyomi!" Crow interjected. "I shouldn't say this but the pro heroes who had their nominations get accepted aren't getting paid to take care of the students. If we nominate, it's our responsibility. In other words, your accomodations at the hotel, the room service, and the coffee from yesterday all came from my own pocket. Metalhead, on the other hand, being a participating office, was given a fixed amount from your school for one student only."

Tokoyami bowed to Metalhead. "Thank you for the offer."

"How underhanded," Metalhead scoffed.

"You're the one trying to steal my pupil," Crow retorted.

Tokoyami and Shouji exchanged glances, feeling the animosity crackling in the air. Although it didn't seem like Morning Crow actually bore ill will towards Metalhead, it seemed more playful in his case. But the hostile vibe that Metalhead gave off was most certainly genuine.

"Metalhead, sir," said Shouji. "Perhaps we should continue the patrol."

The pro hero relaxed. "Yes, you're right Tentacole. I'm being unprofessional." He gave one last glare to Crow before pivoting around. "Let's go."

"I'll text you later," Shouji said to Tokoyami before following.

"Right," Tokoyami nodded. "Have a good day."

"We should get bubble tea later!" Crow called after them. "My treat!"

Metalhead paused. "Only because you're paying."

Tokoyami was surprised that that had worked. The man must like his bubble tea.

Once the other pair had turned the corner and vanished out of sight, Tokoyami looked up at Morning Crow, a myriad of queries going through his head. Most of them were just basic curiosities though he wasn't sure they were close enough to learn about the other person's history. Like he had told Shouji on the train the day before, everyone has their secrets.

"Metalhead loathes me," Crow stated out of the blue. "But I am eternally indebted to him." He looked down at Tokoyami through his periphery, seeing the student's eyes grow double in size. "You were wondering about the nature of our relationship, right?"

"What do you mean you're indebted to him?" Tokoyami inquired.

Crow scratched the back of his head, chuckling awkwardly. "That's kind of a long story. Maybe some other day."

Tokoyami nodded in understanding. His curiosity was itching from the inside of his chest, telling him that this was one dark place he absolutely did not like. There had been an inkling of solemnity in Crow's eyes, momentarily matching the image that Tokoyami had pictured for the hero just the morning before. So it was hard to say that he didn't want to learn more about this man's shared past with another hero.

But it wasn't in Tokoyami's place to invade his mentor's privacy. They'd only be together for another few days anyway. Their relationship would become completely irrelevant once he went back to school and focus on more important things.

Speaking of which, final exams were coming up. Maybe he should spend his time studying. He did do rather poorly during the midterms, ending up on the very bottom for mathematics. It was the only subject that he did worse than Kaminari, Ashido, and Aoyama in. No one else in the class ranked below them in any other subject. Well, actually, Aoyama got a decent grade in English.

"We're here!" Crow abruptly shouted.

Tokoyami was violently yanked out of a memory. One of Ectoplasm personally chewing him out in the teacher's lounge.

Looking up, Tokoyami saw the massive structure before him. A palace that exuded an Edo feel with its tiled rooftops and barred windows. Trees branched out, reaching up and over the building still with budding pink blossoms that decorated the ground in splotches of vibrancy. It looked just like it did in a travel brochure.

"For a place known as the ruins of Fukuoka castle, it sure looks pristine," Tokoyami remarked.

Crow nodded. "Well, most of the grounds have been converted to Maizuru Park which houses several sports facilities, a courthouse, and an art museum." He sounded like a Wikipedia article and when Tokoyami looked over, the hero's nose was actually in his phone. "We just have to get up Fukusaki hill and over the Naka river which makes a natural moat—."

"At least pretend you're not just reading it!" Tokoyami snapped. How did this man even become a pro?

Tokoyami couldn't understand what the point of any of this was. It wasn't like the history lesson about the Kokoran being an ancient guesthouse for diplomats was going to be on one of Midnight's exams. It also wasn't very fun to be in his hero costume when all he was doing was wandering through an art museum. People were staring at the teenager dressed in a black cloak. Thankfully, Morning Crow took some of the attention off of him.

Shouji had mentioned wanting to show his classmate around. Tokoyami wished that had been the case.

"Is someone missing his boyfriend?" Dark Shadow teased from within his cloak.

"Don't call him that," Tokoyami muttered. "Shouji and I are just friends."

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that."

"It's the truth."

Morning Crow paused, realizing that the student had stopped following him several art pieces back. Tokoyami was still in front of "Mt. Hodaka" by Yoshida Hiroshi. It was a beautiful woodblock print portraying a landscape scene of trees and mountains. Crow interpreted this to mean that Tokoyami was starting to appreciate coming.

But then Tokoyami started looking around, realizing that he had lost his mentor. When he made eye contact with Crow, it became obvious that he had just been staring off into space. So the boy quickly half-jogged back to the man's side.

"What were you thinking about?" asked Crow.

"Nothing," Tokoyami replied all too quickly. "Just… how beautiful that… piece was."

Crow clicked his tongue, nodding along. "Uh-huh, and who was the artist?"

Tokoyami knew the names of approximately five painters. Had the question been about poets and writers or even television shows, perhaps he could give a proper answer. But this was one of those cases where he just had to bluff and accept the consequences of being wrong. "…da Vinci?"

"You're not a very good liar, are you?"

"It's not one of my strong suits, no."

They decided to break for lunch at a local fast food restaurant. After spending ten minutes with fans, Crow brought a tray of cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, fries, and sodas over to where Tokoyami was sitting. The student was once again daydreaming, replaying the events of the day but this time, with Shouji by his side. He didn't even realize it until Crow was waving a fry under his nose.

"You seem preoccupied ever since we bumped into your friend and Metalhead," said Crow. "Are you that curious about my past?"

"No… well, yes." Tokoyami unwrapped one of the burgers. "But it's other stuff too like school and… things."

Crow was tempted to do some teasing by asking if it was a crush. But having learned his lesson the day before, he decided to refrain. Just as he was about to make some more small talk, their headsets buzzed to life, Aquila's voice coming in loud and clear. They both became on edge, wondering if there was a villain attack.

If there was criminal activity that seemed small, then Aquila usually took care of it on his own. So he only ever contacted the hero if it looked like a situation that was too dangerous to engage on his own. Or if it was an enemy with a Quirk that was advantageous over his own.

"What are your coordinates?" Crow asked, all business.

" _Sorry to scare you_ ," Aquila replied. " _It's not an attack, just a notice from the police department. A villain has escaped Fukuoka penitentiary._ " There was a brief pause though they could hear a tiny inhalation, like the bird-man was holding his breath. " _A convict by the name of Gaburi Kiba is on the loose and all heroes in the vicinity are asked to stay on high alert._ "

The name meant nothing to Tokoyami. But judging from the way Crow became eerily silent, it must've held some significance.

"Thank you for telling us," Crow finally stated. "If you see any suspicious activity, tell me immediately."

" _Yes sir._ "

After disconnecting the call, Crow stared out the window for a couple of seconds before returning to the food. Tokoyami wasn't exactly sure what to make of such a reaction. Under the table, he was discreetly looking up the name of the escaped convict to see who it was and why they were such a big deal.

"After this," said Crow in between bites, "let's go on patrol."

"Huh? So soon?" Tokoyami asked. They hadn't even looked at Heiwadai Stadium yet.

Crow finished off his burger. "What's wrong? I thought that's what you wanted."

True, Tokoyami did want to do hero work. The kind of duties that everyone expected people like All Might and Endeavor to do. But the personality change was jarring to happen in the span of one phone call. Was this another thing from Crow's past that Tokoyami didn't know about?

On his phone, a mugshot appeared. The man in the photo had a long jaw, jutting farther than other humans. His head was covered in unkempt silver hair pointing in all directions, like he had just woken up from a long night of tossing and turning. But the most significant detail about this person was that he was smiling in the picture, showing off rows of razor sharp teeth, despite being incarcerated.

"Who's Gaburi Kiba?" Tokoyami decided to ask.

"A serial killer," Crow mumbled in response. "But he also… ate his victims."

Tokoyami's eyes bugged out. "A cannibal?"

"Come on," Crow urged, "finish lunch and let's go."

Later that night, after dinner and a shower, Tokoyami laid down on the bed. The patrol didn't amount to much but it was strange watching his flirtatious mentor actually focused. He still played with his fans but he wasn't all there.

The boy took out his phone, wanting to do some more research on Gaburi Kiba. Perhaps this criminal was linked to Morning Crow in some way. There were some heroes and villains that were legitimately nemeses, always targeting each other and escaping the other's grasps.

A decade ago, there were several missing persons cases. Once a week, a new civilian would vanish. The victims ranged from late teens to early forties and varied in gender so the police weren't sure if they had any relation to one another. But the disappearances were too methodical and frequent for it to be more than one person or group.

Civilians were asked to stay in groups. Before long, the abductions stopped. That's when Gaburi got caught. He had gotten desperate enough to attack an unsuspecting family in public and that's when Metalhead arrested him.

There was no apparent connection to Morning Crow.

"That's kind of scary," Dark Shadow commented.

"Agreed," Tokoyami nodded.

Earlier that day, Morning Crow mentioned that a hero's livelihood depended on villain takedowns, merchandise sales, and other jobs like how some became teachers. But thanks to the symbol of peace, life was becoming peaceful so new heroes weren't as necessary in modern society. Some heroes were resentful of that but Crow said it was contradictory to have such a mindset.

"As heroes, we're supposed to want peace," he had said. "So who really cares if our job becomes less important?"

Tokoyami had wanted to do hero work. But that shouldn't have been a desire to have to begin with. If there was one thing that he would take from this workfield experience, it would be those words of wisdom. Perhaps there really was something to Crow's ideology.

"Hey," Dark Shadow remarked. "Didn't Shouji say he'd text us?"

Now that Tokoyami thought about it, Shouji had said that when they bumped into each other. Maybe he just forgot? But what if something bad happened? What if that cannibal had gone to hunt down Metalhead for revenge and Shouji got caught in the crossfire? Without thinking, Tokoyami frantically typed out a message to his classmate.

Dark Shadow glanced at the clock reading 10:30. "It's so late though."

[Tokoyami]: _Shouji, is everything okay?_

[Tokoyami]: _Did you run into trouble today?_

[Tokoyami]: _Text me as soon as you can!_

They waited for a response. Tokoyami placed the phone on the pillow, screen up, and stared at it with his legs pulled up to his chest and arms crossed. The fingers on his left hand thumped against his elbow while the ones on the right side did the same on his knee. Finally, the phone lit up and buzzed so he practically dove for it like an eagle spotting its prey.

Dark Shadow looked back at the clock, noting that almost twenty minutes had passed. His host was a lot less subtle when it was just the two of them. It was like watching a romantic drama in which a couple is always messaging each other without paying attention to anything in their surroundings.

[Shouji]: _Sorry about not texting. I'm fine, it's just been a long day. Did you want to see me?_

Tokoyami typed 'yes' but restrained himself from sending it. Sitting up, he took a few breaths to regain his composure.

[Tokoyami]: _No, although I do prefer talking face to face. Or, I guess in our case, face to hand._

[Shouji]: _I'm surprised. You don't usually crack jokes._

[Tokoyami]: _It felt appropriate._

There was a moment of silence. The little dancing bubbles indicated that Shouji was typing but they sporadically vanished then came back. It was strange because the other boy usually had no qualms with speaking whatever was on his mind.

[Shouji]: _Is it okay if I come over?_

Each word took ten seconds for Tokoyami to read. Without thinking about it, he typed an affirmative response. Then he dropped the phone. He just told Shouji to come to his room. His room in a hotel where he would be totally alone with his classmate. His palms became slick with sweat, throat dry as sandpaper, and heart beat like he'd finished a marathon.

"We're just friends," Tokoyami whispered to himself. "Nothing to worry about."

"You're in your boxers," Dark Shadow reminded him.

Tokoyami never worried about the clothes he wore. Aizawa had said just to bring nightwear, one set of business clothes in case, and three to four sets of casual clothes. The expectation was that everyone would be in their hero costumes for most of the on-the-field experience. But now Tokoyami wished he had something more than just his black hoodies and blue jeans.

There was a knock at the door fifteen minutes later. Tokoyami opened the door to find Shouji's large frame looming over him, a bag of convenience store goods in hand. The pink of the strawberry flavored Pocky boxes and red of chocolate Kit Kat bars could be seen through the white plastic. The six-armed student raised a hand, changing it into a mouth which smiled brightly.

"Hey," he grinned. "Sorry for showing up so late. Were you about to go to bed?"

Shouji was being overly cheery. It was a complete aberration from his normal behavior. Tokoyami came to the realization that he was being self-centered. It was almost midnight and Shouji asked to come to the hotel, it was clear that something was on his mind.

"Is everything okay?" asked Tokoyami.

Shouji pretended not to hear that, holding up the bag. "Want some snacks?"

"Don't avoid the question," said Tokoyami, keeping his friend from entering by using an arm to block the way into the room. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew what was going on. He just couldn't believe that one person could affect the people he knew. "Does this… have anything to do with the criminal that escaped prison today?"

The bag rustled as it came back down to the other boy's side. His bangs fell over his face as if it was trying to swallow up every patch of visible skin. When he spoke, the words flowed out quietly, like they were being whispered into the wind. "I guess… I can't hide anything from you."

They sat down on the bed, face to face, each with one leg hanging off the side. Tokoyami no longer thought about his earlier concerns. How he felt didn't matter at this moment. The way Shouji refused to make eye contact, paying more attention to the blackened sky out the window and the area of white puffy sheet in between their knees was a much bigger concern.

"Whenever you're ready," Tokoyami nudged gently.

"I… lost someone important to me," said Shouji, "because of… that man."

Tokoyami thought back to the previous night, when he visited the other boy's home. "Was it… your father?"

Shouji stared out the window once more, at the pale yellow lights creeping out of tiny squares across the street. One of them went black, blending into the rest of its surroundings and practically vanishing from sight. The bed shifted, sinking towards Shouji as he melted deeper into the mattress, putting his full weight onto it.

Tokoyami could only see half of his classmate's face although only an eye was ever uncovered even from a frontal view. Water welled up in that eye but refused to fall. He also noticed the wrinkles in Shouji's clothes and a dirt splotch in his hair suggesting that he hadn't even bathed yet. And Tokoyami wanted more than anything to find the right words to say to relieve him of some of the pain.

"Ten years ago," said Shouji, "I lost my father."


	3. Chapter 3

In the morning, Tokoyami almost fell off the bed because he woke up to find Shouji's sleeping face in front of him. They weren't even that close in proximity. Tokoyami had to sleep right on the edge because Shouji fanned out his arms when he slept, taking up a lot of space. But Tokoyami didn't consider it a nuisance. Rather, he thought of it as a blessing. He might've imploded if they were closer.

The other night, Shouji didn't have the energy to return home after laying around eating snacks in the hotel room together for an hour. So they agreed to share the bed for the night. But since Shouji didn't bring his pajamas, he just took a shower and fell asleep in only his boxers and mask.

It took maybe another hour before Tokoyami actually joined him. He spent that time trying to sort out his feelings. But looking at the boy with his muscular torso exposed and beautiful white hair in his face, it was clear how he felt from the way his heartbeat quickened, pounding in his ears, making it hard to even hear his own thoughts as he cleaned up the room.

"I like you," Tokoyami had whispered, "Shouji Mezo."

In all fifteen years Tokoyami had been alive, he never actually had a crush. It was strange and new and scary. And not the scary he liked.

"Fumikage," said Dark Shadow. "We should get ready."

Tokoyami glanced at the clock, noticing that they slept longer than they should've. Their mentors were expecting them in about half an hour. Tokoyami also had no idea how far away Metalhead's office was from the hotel. He didn't want to be partially responsible for the other boy getting in trouble for being tardy.

Tokoyami nudged the larger boy's shoulder, noting how big it was compared to his hand. "Shouji, wake up."

Shouji stirred and rubbed at his eyes, combing his hair out of his face. The act made Tokoyami's breath hitch in his throat. He hadn't known that he could think of someone as pretty before, let alone one of his own peers. But he was able to breathe normally again when Shouji suddenly started chuckling. It sounded genuine compared to his cheeriness when he showed up at the door last night.

"Your feathers are all crooked," Shouji pointed out.

Tokoyami reached up, feeling embarrassed. It was like he had shown an unattractive side to himself when the other person was the exact opposite. How unfair could that be? "Well… th—they get like that in the morning because I lie on them!" His tone was defensive, and when he realized that, he turned sheepish and quiet. "It's my bedhead…"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh," said Shouji. "I mean… I think it's cute."

His face managed to change hues. "C—Cute?!"

"Was that weird of me to say?"

"N—No, it just… caught me off guard."

Tokoyami knew that his behavior was strange with the way he mumbled out some words and refused to make eye contact. These feelings of darkness were turning him into a bumbling buffoon. Like Kaminari when he short-circuited. So he took a few deep breaths in an attempt to regain the cool persona he always put on in front of his peers.

"You should go home," said Tokoyami. "You're going to be late."

Shouji glanced at a plastic bag filled with crumpled up wrappers and discarded cardboard boxes. Then at his clothes which he had left in the bathroom, folded neatly on the nightstand. The other boy had cleaned up the room before going to sleep. Shouji felt a little responsible for the way Tokoyami rubbed at his eyes and tried to stifle a yawn.

"I'm sorry," he said. "You stayed up really late because of me."

Tokoyami shook his head. "I've functioned on days with less sleep."

"That's not something to be proud of."

"No, I suppose not."

Neither boy could remember at what time they had gone to bed. They talked like drunken co-workers at a bar, with no sense of the passage of time as they conversed about random idlings from their day. It was mostly to distract themselves from the topic of a psychopathic murderer on the loose. They didn't exactly want to be reminded of someone like that.

Tokoyami gathered up his toiletries, trying to straighten out his feathers without a mirror. "How are you feeling, by the way?"

"Better, thanks to you," said Shouji. "But…" He stood up, putting on his shirt. "I'm still worried. That guy's a villain and one that even Metalhead struggled against. I don't want to come home, turn on the news, and hear that you've been hurt or worse in an encounter with him."

"I'll be fine," Tokoyami replied. "I'm more worried about you."

Shouji pulled on his pants while the other boy went to brush his teeth. "Tokoyami… would it be okay if… you come live at my house?" He heard what sounded like a toothbrush clattering onto the floor. "That is, if you and Morning Crow are okay with that. I just… I'd feel more at peace if you were closer. I don't want to lose another person important to me."

"I'll," Tokoyami stared at his reflection, "I'll ask Crow about it."

"Thank you."

They agreed to message each other throughout the day just to make sure the other was okay. After that, Shouji returned home while Tokoyami got dressed in his hero costume. He was dazed and it was obvious from the fact that he kept searching for a sleeve in his cloak to put his arm through. As if being in the same hotel room together with his crush wasn't enough to mess him up, now he was going to stay in the same house?

"I can't believe I'm watching you experience your first crush," Dark Shadow gushed.

Tokoyami was in the elevator, going down to the ground floor. "It's a maddeningly annoying feeling."

"So," said the Quirk, "what are you going to do about it?"

The doors opened into the lobby where Morning Crow was already waiting, tapping his foot and checking his watch. "I don't know," Tokoyami muttered as he started towards the hero. "But I do know that I don't want to ruin anything between me and Shouji. We're friends, first and foremost."

"Aw." Dark Shadow returned to his host. "I think you guys would make a cute couple though."

"Shut it…"

Morning Crow seemed to be back to his normal self. After a very light chiding for being late, Crow went into a spiel about the importance of indulging fans in photos and signings. For the day, Crow thought it would be a good idea to go to Komyozenji, a zen temple, so that they could just relax and bask in the tranquility.

"It's got a Japanese rock garden," said Crow, straightening out the map, "the only one in all of Kyushu."

"Morning Crow," Tokoyami interjected, "about my accommodations here."

They went to the hotel dining room for some breakfast which consisted of blueberry waffles, bacon, and scrambled eggs. As they ate, Crow listened patiently to his charge's proposition of living at the Shouji residence. Unfortunately, the hotel didn't do refunds on reservations but it would certainly save the hero money on other services.

Crow leaned back in his seat, taking a sip from his coffee which was half cream and a third sugar. "This isn't just so you don't have to feel guilty about taking Kinzo-san's offer of being trained by him, is it? This hotel is still extremely expensive."

"No," said Tokoyami. "You nominated me and I accepted. I should honor that decision."

Crow smiled, nodding along. "Well… it doesn't matter to me where you stay so long as I remain your mentor."

"Thank you," Tokoyami replied.

After sending Shouji a quick text and finishing their meal, they quickly set out. Tokoyami wanted to put his feelings on the back burner for the day. He didn't need any distractions when he should be focused on taking in as much information from this lesson, if it could be called that, as he could.

"By the way," said Crow, "I got Metalhead to take up my bubble tea offer so we'll be meeting up with him later."

So that meant seeing Shouji again. "Great."

"You don't sound too happy about that."

Tokoyami didn't elaborate, knowing that he couldn't lie out of it without bringing up more questions. Thankfully, Crow didn't press.

There were a few villain attacks throughout the day. Most of them were too far away for both of them to get there before someone else took care of the situation. So at times, Crow had to take off on his own to deal with the problem.

But Tokoyami did get to watch the hero fight in person twice. Morning Crow used his blade like a true professional but never did he use the sharp side on the criminals. The way he danced around his opponents showed grace that could only be attained after many years of combat and training. It was something that Tokoyami could actually admire.

After checking out the rock garden at the temple and joining a meditation session, they went back to the city for bubble tea. Tokoyami was not ready to be sitting across a table from Shouji. Just thinking about that boy in his skin-tight costume was enough to make him perspire and his heartbeat pound ten times faster. It physically hurt him just to picture it.

"You look pale," Crow remarked once they were outside the store, "are you getting sick?"

"I'm fine," Tokoyami replied, "just—."

"Tokoyami!"

"Fine!"

All of his prepping amounted to nothing as Tokoyami leapt a whole ten centimeters in the air and spun around to face a very wide-eyed Shouji. It was clear that he had surprised everyone there. Why was it so hard to behave normally in front of Shouji? He was thankful that no one else in their class would ever know. Shouji would respect him enough to keep this a secret if asked.

Morning Crow figured out what was going on and a sly smile appeared on his face. He still didn't plan on poking fun at his nominee but that didn't mean he couldn't cheer him on in silence. But for the moment, he was going to save the young boy the embarrassment by quickly greeting the approaching pair with unabashed enthusiasm.

"Kinzo-san! Tentacole!" Crow waved excitedly. "It's so good to see you again!"

Metalhead's scowl became deeper. "So you call my pupil by his hero name but not me?"

"Well Kinzo-san is Kinzo-san," Crow chuckled before opening the door for everyone. "Now come on, drinks are on me!"

Tokoyami had never been in such a store. The vibrant colors and bright lights were the exact opposite of his preferred aesthetic. Combined with the extreme pop music coming from the speakers, it was a bit of a sensory overload for him. But the menu above the cashier that displayed the variety of flavors and toppings made it even more overwhelming.

"I don't know what to get," he said before glancing up at his classmate. "What are you getting?"

"Lychee with pudding," said Shouji. "You can try the most popular one. I think it's taro."

Once they got their drinks, they found a little round table to themselves. Tokoyami stared at the big straw used to suck up the tapioca pearls and wondered what would happen if he were to stab at the plastic lid too hard. Would the drink just burst all over his clothes? Not wanting to embarrass himself, he tried lightly but all three attempts failed so Shouji did it for him.

"Careful, the pearls can be a choking hazard," Shouji warned.

"But they're fun to chew!" Crow grinned.

"Figured you would say that," Tokoyami muttered. The tea was sweet and soft. The pearls didn't seem to have a lot of flavor but they added an unfamiliar texture to the drink. "It's not bad. I'm not a big fan of sweet things though."

Shouji tilted his own cup forward. "Want to try mine?"

Tokoyami did, but the other boy's lips had already made contact with the straw. But wouldn't it seem rude to decline the offer? Would it count as indirect kiss though? After all, Shouji has used a morphed hand to drink.

"Uh, sure," said Tokoyami.

"You spent a long time just staring at it," Crow remarked. "Are you okay?"

Tokoyami took a sip from the other cup, getting some of the pudding. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"Sorry," Shouji muttered. "I shouldn't have kept you up."

"Kept you up?" Crow repeated, swallowing a pearl too quickly and getting it lodged in his throat. The others watched as he started slapping his chest in an attempt to get it down while Tokoyami, sitting beside his mentor, did the same to his back. The pearl shot out of the hero's mouth and was caught in Metalhead's hand before it hit him in the face. "Thank you, Tsukuyomi."

"Shou—er—Tentacole… and I just talked about stuff," explained the bird-man. "Nothing else."

"Right, of course," Crow coughed. He decided to change gears, bringing his attention to Metalhead who was using a napkin to cover the wasted bubble. "You know, Kinzo-san, I've noticed that you've been working extra hard lately! Why don't you and Tentacole join us tomorrow? We'll be going to the beach!"

Metalhead let out a gruff scoff. "Morning Crow…"

"It's not good to always be—."

"I have no time for your games," Metalhead interrupted. "Just tell me your true intentions."

The teenagers glanced between the adults, wondering where the sudden animosity had come from. The Iron Hero wasn't so scary sipping on his strawberry bubble tea and glaring at the other man. But unlike the day before, Crow's energy was much more somber despite the facade of a smile he had put on.

"I'm being genuine," said Crow.

Metalhead slammed down his suddenly empty cup, causing everyone present to flinch. "Don't give me that! Gaburi Kiba escaped prison yesterday. The majority of his victims had disappeared while at the beach. I was the one to arrest him so there is a chance that he will target me. And you want me to believe that you don't have ulterior motives for inviting me to join you tomorrow?" He stood up, the legs of the chair screeching underneath. "Let's go Tentacole."

Crow looked down, his mask casting a dark shadow over his face. "Wait…," he sighed, "I… know it's unprofessional. But I need to do this."

"Revenge is unbefitting a hero," said Metalhead. "But I'll at least be able to watch over you and I do want to catch him too."

Revenge? Sure, Tokoyami's fun-loving mentor didn't exactly follow conventional hero rules but to break the basic law of using one's Quirk for personal reasons just didn't sound right. Then he thought back to the framed photo in the office and the way Aquila had suddenly tensed up. There were zero articles about Morning Crow's family and private life. Was it because he kept it all secret or simply because they were no longer in the picture?

Shouji was eerily quiet, focusing on what remained of his beverage. That's when Tokoyami wondered if his classmate had been thinking about vengeance as well. At the moment, it was safe to assume that the only person who knew about Shouji's connection to the escaped convict was Tokoyami. So it wasn't like the adults could talk any sense to him. And Tokoyami wasn't going to expose it right then and there.

"Then it's agreed," Crow nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," said Metalhead.

Shouji looked over at Tokoyami, dark bags under his eyes and a pleading behind his irises. Like he was silently begging the other boy not to say anything about his relationship with the criminal. It made Tokoyami's chest ache and tighten because he felt such a powerful urge to reach over and yank his cherished classmate out of his lonesome suffering.

"I'll see you tonight," Shouji mumbled before standing up.

Tokoyami wanted to call out to him but all he could do was say goodbye. The taro didn't taste so sweet anymore.

The remaining two, Tokoyami and Morning Crow, sat in silence, taking their time with their drinks. They let the time pass by in long seconds. Crow acted as cheerfully as he always did with the patrons that wanted to take some of his time. Tokoyami, on the other hand, was in deep thought, picturing Shouji going after a cannibal and then… eaten? Torn limb from limb? Swallowed whole?

Every scenario made Tokoyami squeeze his cup tighter and tighter. Until it burst, spilling taro milk tea and tapioca pearls all over the table and his clothes. Crow quickly asked his fans to get some napkins while he told his charge to clean up in the restroom. Tokoyami apologized to the staff before going into the bathroom. As he grabbed the paper towels to wipe down his cloak, there was a knock.

"Need to talk?" asked Crow. "You seem preoccupied."

Tokoyami looked back at his reflection. Since his eyes were red, it was difficult to tell when they were bloodshot though he knew they were. His bones were also sore from all the walking he did that day and from the fact that he got maybe three to four hours of sleep. Even though he was certain he had gotten through days under worse conditions, it felt like he wasn't going to survive by the end.

"Morning Crow," said Tokoyami, "you mentioned earlier today that heroes are supposed to make civilians feel safe."

"Yeah?"

"Who… does that for heroes?"

Crow crossed his arms and leaned back against the door. "I guess, friends and family."

"And what if…," Tokoyami's eyes were starting to sting, "they have no family?"

There were a few seconds of silence. "Did Aquila tell you?"

"No. But… is that why you want revenge?"

Crow took a breath. "I'm going to guess you did some research on Gaburi Kiba. So that means you know how he got caught. Well… the last family he attacked, was my wife and daughter. I… I was supposed to be with them that day to celebrate my daughter's graduation. But I had prioritized work over them. So I couldn't protect them."

It had been a cruel twist of fate. Crow was after the one behind the abductions. Never did he expect that person to target his loved ones.

Tokoyami could hear his mentor's voice cracking the longer he spoke. He didn't want to be responsible for making the man relive such a terrible memory so he didn't ask about much else. The pieces were starting to fall into place anyway.

According to an old newspaper article, the woman in the last attack died of blood loss after having her arm torn off. Her daughter was safe thanks to Metalhead arriving not long after but she supposedly moved from Fukuoka after the incident. That would explain why Crow was indebted to the other hero. He probably even changed his name so that no one could connect him to the victims.

"You wanted to go to your favorite sushi place for lunch, right?" Tokoyami asked.

Crow was putting on a brave face for fans outside. "Yeah, but it's already three."

"We haven't eaten much… and I'm hungry. Can we go?"

"…You're a good kid, Tsukuyomi."

Tokoyami checked himself one last time before heading out. It was going to be another long day.

—X—

Eating so late was actually a bad idea. At the Shouji household, he ended up eating a lot less of Mimi's food than he actually wanted to. He didn't want to make the mother feel self-conscious about her cooking but she kept asking what was wrong with her dishes. He had to assure her that he just wasn't hungry that night.

After they finished eating and wrapping up the leftovers, Mimi told her son to show their guest the room while she cleaned up. Tokoyami had been warned beforehand that he'd be sleeping in a futon on the floor which didn't bother him. What did bother him was that he'd be staying in Shouji's room with him. He had a hard time just sitting next to him during dinner, trying not to be so close.

"I don't have much," Shouji said, standing in front of the bedroom door.

It was more like he didn't have anything at all. There was a low table, a cushion in front of it for sitting on, and a folded-up futon in the corner. Anything else—clothes, costume case, books—was probably in the closet.

"What a strange juxtaposition," Tokoyami muttered. "My room back home is a madhouse—I mean, it's got a lot."

"I'm a minimalist," Shouji explained.

He went over to the closet, sliding it open to show that only a sixth was filled. He reached up to get a second rolled-up futon for his classmate. In the meantime, Tokoyami went over to the window which had a view of the sea. He could actually faintly hear the waves washing up on the shore and see the stars in the night sky, twinkling brightly.

"You've got a great view," he remarked. "I have to climb onto the rooftop of my house to see the sky."

"You get used to it after a while, but I will admit that I missed it. My apartment in Shizuoka—." Shouji walked up to the other boy's side and their elbows brushed against one another, causing Tokoyami to jump back. Shouji lost his train of thought and all he could think was that his classmate found him, in some way, scary. "Tokoyami… you've… been acting really strange since this morning."

"Have I?" Tokoyami blurted out.

"Yeah, really jittery and jumpy… like you're really nervous," said Shouji. "By any chance…" Tokoyami's throat became really dry, all the water pouring from his head instead. "…did you take off my mask and saw my face while I was asleep?"

That was not what Tokoyami had expected to hear. "What?! No!" He shook his head. "I'd never do that without your permission."

"Then why have you been acting so weird?"

Tokoyami wondered if he should just tell the truth and get it over with. But the thought that Shouji might be disgusted or at least unnerved by the confession was not a prospect he wanted to see come to light. So he bit his tongue, turned his head, and attempted to revive his classroom persona. The one everyone got to see but this one person broke down so easily with just a word, a touch, or a look.

"I'm not… as cool as you might think I am," Tokoyami admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "The real me is… dorky and awkward but you're the first person besides my father to see me like this. For the first time… I'm not… putting someone at an emotional distance but I don't like showing that side of me to someone… who is genuinely cool so I… act like an idiot."

Shouji seemed more surprised by this admission than anything else that had happened all day. "You think I'm cool?"

"Was that weird of me to say?"

"No, no. It just… caught me off guard."

Tokoyami felt every stiff joint in his body relax as he exhaled. Then he started laughing like someone had grabbed him by the underarms and started tickling him. Shouji did the same and neither realized that they hadn't gotten a chance to laugh for real in quite some time.

"I feel kind of stupid," Tokoyami chuckled. "I should've known you wouldn't judge me."

Shouji shrugged. "I have no right to judge anyone. I talk with my hands."

"I like that," said Tokoyami. "I don't think of it as a bad thing."

"I like how you talk too," said Shouji. He was looking out the window so he didn't even see the way the other boy's feathers took a pinkish tinge on the tips. "I noticed that you backtrack on some of your words. But I like when you say things that most people don't. It's nothing to be ashamed of so you should… just be yourself."

Tokoyami smiled a little. "Perhaps… when I get more comfortable with the others."

"I doubt anyone will judge you… too harshly." They looked at each other, thinking about their more childish and insensitive classmates mocking the birdman by copying his speech. "Well, if someone does make fun of you, just tell me. I can scare them."

Tokoyami crossed his arms and tried, unsuccessfully, to keep from laughing. "We all know you better at this point."

"What does that mean?"

"You're big but soft."

"Soft?" Shouji raised one side of arms and flexed, showing off the solid set of muscles on all three biceps. Tokoyami's eyes darted out the window but not before his heart started trying to desperately escape his chest. "I've been working out a lot more because of Metalhead's training program too."

"I didn't mean physically," Tokoyami mumbled.

"So… to be sure," Shouji continued, flexing the other half of arms, "I _haven't_ gone soft."

If Tokoyami had lips, he'd be pursing them as he got a really good look of those muscles. "I think it's harder."

"He means his arms, not you," Dark Shadow suddenly said.

"Shadow!"

Shouji started coughing uncontrollably but it soon dissolved into laughter. Tokoyami was relieved that his friend didn't interpret that comment as something other than funny. That probably meant Shouji didn't see him as a romantic interest. But while that comforted him in thinking that they would be comfortable with each other once again, it also made his chest seize up. Maybe it was because he wanted to be more than friends even if he didn't want to take that risk.

Just then, both their phones lit up with a message from Midoriya. They picked up their devices but all Midoriya had sent them was his current location which was Hosu City. Everyone in the boy's contacts seemed to have gotten the same message. They knew he wasn't supposed to be in Tokyo for his work experience and that the hero killer Stain had been sighted in that particular district. Was he okay?

It was only a handful of minutes later that Mimi called them into the living room because their friends were on TV. The breaking news bulletin reported that Stain had been captured. Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida could be recognized even as specks on the sidewalk as they were herded into the back of an ambulance.

Tokoyami thought about the fact that Ingenium was crippled by the hero killer. He also knew that Iida was his younger brother. Was it possible that their class president had gone to Hosu City with revenge in mind?

"Shouji," he said, out of Mimi's earshot. "Do you… plan on fighting Gaburi for vengeance?"

The other boy didn't take his eyes off the television. "Would you think less of me if I said yes?"

Tokoyami's knuckles turned white as he gripped his knees. "I don't know…"

"…I don't know either."


	4. Chapter 4

Tokoyami dreamt that he was in class. Everyone was talking about their on-the-field work experience and Aizawa was napping in the front of the room. But one of the seats in the front row was empty. When he finally noticed, the rest of the class's chatter died down. They were all looking at the vacant desk.

All of a sudden, Tokoyami's chest tightened and tears sprung from his eyes, sliding down his face. In unison, his eighteen classmates started doing the same thing. Simultaneously, one word escaped their lips and it was the name of their missing friend. With a cracked and high-pitched cry coming from the back of his throat, Tokoyami broke down in a typhoon of sobs.

At six AM, Tokoyami awoke in a dark room, soft foggy light creeping in from the window. The pillow underneath his head was wet and cold, as were the black feathers on his face. He sat up and wiped at his eyes before the sound of light snoring from his right brought his attention downward.

Shouji was there. Arms fanned out, hair in a mess, and eyes peacefully closed. Most importantly, he was safe.

"Fumikage," Dark Shadow whispered.

It wasn't gentle. It was hovering over the boy, attempting to take over, seize control of his bones and muscles. So Tokoyami curled up into a ball, hugging his knees to his chest, and tried to regulate his breathing. It would only be another half hour or so before the sun rose to the sky so Tokoyami had to hold on until then. No tears, no frustration, just calm. That's how it should be.

"I'm fine," Tokoyami mumbled to himself. "I'm fine. I'm fine…"

Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder. Just as he looked up, he felt six strong arms envelop his thin frame. A pair of legs circled around his body and a chin pressed down onto his plume. Even though it made him feel warm and pleasant, he couldn't help crying harder and burying his face as deeply as he could into the other person's chest.

"Are you okay?" Shouji muttered.

Tokoyami didn't trust his voice. So it took him a few trembling breaths before saying, "I'm sorry."

Shouji tenderly stroked the other boy's back. "There's nothing to apologize for."

They stayed that way until the room slowly filled with light. So they peeled away from each other and got ready for the day. They made a silent agreement not to talk about what happened so that they could just enjoy their day at the beach. For that, Tokoyami was grateful. But he also knew that he was dangerously falling for Shouji harder.

Mimi was still asleep and her alarm wasn't supposed to go off for another ten minutes. So Tokoyami decided to make breakfast for them in a way of paying them back for their hospitality. Shouji had to confess that he didn't know how to cook very well but he at least knew where everything was in the kitchen.

"Hm?" Mimi stepped out of her bedroom in a night robe. "You boys are already up?"

Tokoyami nodded as he got a carton of eggs from the fridge. "What would you like to eat?"

"Oh, you don't have to do that."

"Please, I want to."

The mother-son duo watched as their guest cooked up some chocolate chip pancakes, sunny-side up eggs, and chewy bacon, two for everyone. They were made with all the same ingredients that Mimi would use but the taste was different. Perhaps it was because the Shouji family was so used to eating the same thing so having someone else's cooking made things a little more savory and sweet.

"Tokoyami-kun, you're a wonderful chef!" Mimi remarked. "Did your mother teach you?"

"Oh, uh, thank you but… I don't have a mother," said Tokoyami.

Mimi's hand flew up to her mouth. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have—."

"No, no," Tokoyami interjected, shaking his head. "I was adopted by a single man so I've only known what it's like to have a father." He looked down at his plate. "I actually learned how to cook because he got busier as I got older so I had to start taking care of myself."

The other two glanced at each other. The mother quickly changed the subject and Tokoyami realized that he probably shouldn't have brought up family matters considering his classmate's circumstances. But it was hard to tell how Shouji was feeling when all he did was keep his eyes hidden underneath his bangs and silently poked at his food with a fork.

"You know," said Mimi, "you'll make someone very happy with cooking like this."

Dark Shadow appeared then. "You think so? What do you think, Shouji?"

Tokoyami knew exactly what his Quirk was trying to do but it wasn't like he could say anything about it or it would raise suspicion. Besides, he was actually curious—and ridiculously nervous—about what his classmate would say. After all, they say the best way to a man's heart was through his stomach.

Shouji kept his eyes down. "Yeah… Tokoyami, you're an amazing cook…"

What was with that lackluster response? Perhaps Tokoyami was overthinking it but it sounded like his classmate had only said that to be polite. The conversation ended there but Tokoyami was thinking up a thousand replies that would somehow get the other boy to elaborate. Was he at least decent? Or was he actually awful? Was something overcooked or over-spiced? He did think the eggs were a little too salty.

This was going to bother Tokoyami for the rest of the day. But he pretended that everything was fine. "Thanks. Mimi-san's food really is the best though." Repaying his hosts wasn't as important as _never_ letting Shouji eat food made by his hands again.

The boys had to put on their costumes and meet their mentors at Metalhead's office on their way to the beach. The adults stood outside the building quarrelling. Well, actually, it was more like Metalhead was trying to strangle the other hero but Morning Crow kept using his phenomenal speed to dodge. They didn't even stop when the kids called out to them.

"Yo!" Crow grinned before returning into a blur. "Good morning!"

"Get back here!" Metalhead grunted. "Tentacole, hold him down!"

"Are we sure they're not the children among us?" Shouji muttered.

Tokoyami let out a sigh. "I was just thinking the same thing."

Once the heroes calmed down, they started on their way to the beach. The adults walked ahead so it unfortunately meant that Tokoyami had to walk right next to Shouji. The tension between the heroes was palpable but at least it didn't make them stiff. Shouji must've sensed the shift in the air between himself and Tokoyami after his cooking comment.

Shouji raised a hand, changing it into a mouth and holding it near his friend. "Did I say something wrong earlier?"

"No," said Tokoyami all too quickly. "I'm just… thinking."

"About what?"

Tokoyami didn't have an answer to that. Luckily, he didn't have to think of one when he noticed a rather large and familiar-looking bird in the sky. He made an audible sound of surprise, causing the others to pause and look up just as the avian shot down towards the ground like a bullet.

"Oh, it's Aquila!" Crow piped up. "We should see him at work!"

"Some stupid brats are wreaking havoc again?" Metalhead grumbled.

The students glanced at each other before following along. They cut around the corner of an arcade to find Aquila holding two squirming middle school students by their collars. Spray cans landed with a clangor onto the floor so it seemed like they were about to vandalize the dentist's clinic that was right next door to the Game Palace.

Shouji instantly recognized their uniforms. "Ah…"

One of the boys stopped struggling when he saw Shouji. "Aniki! Tell this feathered rat to let me go!"

"You guys promised you'd shape up after I graduated," Shouji reminded them. "This doesn't look like shaping up."

The others that were present were surprised to see that the delinquents and the hero-in-training were acquainted with one another. Morning Crow produced a bucket of freshly popped popcorn from some place, probably by running there and back, and started gobbling down handfuls. Aquila dropped the pair of middle schoolers, thinking it was probably better for them to get a scolding from Shouji.

Tokoyami thought back to what Metalhead had said earlier. "So you usually deal with kids instead of full-fledged villains?"

Aquila rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, Fukuoka's got a lot of youth crimes and gang activity."

Tokoyami remembered researching this. Before All Might became the symbol of peace, the district was notorious for having the most youth crimes and yakuza activity in the nation. While most gangs had either gone underground or vanished completely due to the number one hero's influence, there were some that still stuck around.

In modern times, there were still a few infamous gangs running around Fukuoka. The amount of under-the-table criminals actually outnumbered the local heroes. So a lot of impressionable kids ended up getting influenced into joining in on illegal activities. It often wasn't anything major but graffiti and littering was supposedly a slippery slope into robbery and grand theft auto. There have even been cases of misuse of one's Quirk for assault.

"They've been getting bolder and more frequent lately," Aquila muttered.

Metalhead crossed his arms and scoffed. "Hmph, so you noticed it too."

Shouji bopped the two kids on the head, confiscated their spray cans, and told them to go to school after they promised to be good. He returned to the others just as they mentioned the name, Gaburi Kiba, causing him to freeze. Morning Crow also became much more somber upon hearing it, forgetting his snack.

"What does Gaburi have to do with it?" asked Tokoyami tentatively.

"The police placed a gag order on the incident," Aquila explained, "but it seems everything got leaked onto the internet. People with ill intentions have been spurred on to actually commit crimes. Did you notice that things were quiet during your first two days here and then suddenly, there were multiple villain attacks?"

Metalhead nodded. "Stain's viral speech about 'fake heroes' doesn't help the situation either."

"Now, even people with good intentions are acting up," Crow sighed.

Tokoyami almost forgot about that. Midoriya ended up texting everyone through the group chat made earlier explaining that he was fine and apologized for worrying everyone. The whole class and his mother spent so much time asking random questions but it seemed like the hospital didn't let him have his phone. So Uraraka just ended the discussion by asking him to call her as soon as he could.

But even if their friends were fine, the nation was in chaos. New villains were popping up and old ones were coming out of retirement. People that were embittered by seeing heroes work for popularity also started doing foul deeds simply because they were misguided. Stain's capture stoked the flames of a change that no one knew was coming.

"I'm distracting you guys from your day off," said Aquila, reading the mood. "You should all get going."

Crow threw on that cheery mask of his. "He's right! We're burning daylight just standing around!"

It was bad timing to think about these things on that day. But Tokoyami figured out that Aquila didn't know about Crow's plans of revenge.

The group stopped at a shop selling summer clothes since Tokoyami didn't think he needed to bring swimming clothes. They also figured it would be a good idea to get out of their costumes in case Gaburi was scoping out the beach for victims and they scared him off. In a flash, Crow had vanished but he soon came back in a silk Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts, and sans mask, showing off his silver, slicked back hair and slightly wrinkled face.

"You really should retire soon," said Metalhead.

Crow slathered sunscreen onto his face. "I'm young at heart!"

"And in demeanor," Metalhead and Tokoyami said together.

Tokoyami looked through the selection while the other two changed in the back. He didn't know what to wear being surrounded from all sides by swim briefs, board shorts, trunks, one-pieces, and bikinis. The thought that Shouji would see him half-naked was a thought that made his blood heat up as he grabbed a surfboard and pressed it flat and hard against his face.

"You should wear something a little skimpy," Dark Shadow suggested. "Be bold!"

"Shut up!" Tokoyami hissed.

Just then, Crow walked over to find his charge giving himself a migraine. "Um… Tsukuyomi?"

Tokoyami pulled away from the board. "I'm fine… just a little overwhelmed."

Crow glanced over to the changing room, wondering if the other two were about to step out. Just in case, he lowered his voice and leaned in closer to the teenager. "I didn't want to bring this up but you… really like Tentacole, don't you?"

"I'm…," Tokoyami bit his tongue, "confused. I've never liked someone so much before."

Crow didn't expect him to admit it. Perhaps a first crush with a close friend was too much for a kid to handle when there was so much else going on. Tokoyami was probably suffering from these emotions that he had never experienced before and realized that keeping it inside was going to destroy him in the end.

"Need any advice?" asked Crow.

"I don't want a relationship with Shouji," said Tokoyami. "I don't want to ruin anything and he only sees me as a friend, anyway."

Crow wasn't so sure of that last part but refrained from saying so. "So does that mean you want to get rid of those feelings?"

" _Can_ you get rid of them?"

"Not easily, I'll tell you that."

At that moment, Shouji stepped out of the dressing room in his cyan swim trunks and a white muscle shirt with arm holes that exposed the toned muscles on his side. Tokoyami felt a lump grow in his throat and his heart started racing. Crow quickly grabbed a few sets of swimwear and stuffed them into the boy's arms so it looked like they had spent their time searching through the store.

"I get you're confused," Crow whispered. "But I can promise you that everything will be fine."

Tokoyami gave a small nod. "Thanks… I appreciate it."

As soon as everyone was dressed in their beachwear, they got on a bus to Momochi Seaside Park. It was a popular, one kilometer stretch of man made beach at the base of Fukuoka Tower. The sunlight bounced off the waves, glittering brightly and blinding anyone that looked directly at it. People were lined up along the waterfront and even though there were two popular local heroes there, no one took notice. Being out of costume made a pretty big difference.

They set up near the shore, watching the water lap at the sand. Tokoyami noticed then that there were some people looking at them. But it wasn't with the same wonder and amazement as fans had towards Crow. There was hunger hidden in their stares and he realized why when a girl swooned after Shouji stripped off his shirt.

"Why does he make it so difficult for me?" Tokoyami grumbled.

Shouji glanced over. "Did you say something?"

"No," he replied quickly. "Just… thinking out loud."

Crow cringed at this painful exchange, feeling rather sorry for his nominee. So he decided to take a walk along the beachfront and asked Tokoyami to come along. The U.A. student was torn between continuing to discreetly observe Shouji's Adonis-like body and getting his heart rate to step off the high-powered treadmill it decided to run on.

"Keep an eye on him," Metalhead told the boy. "If there's trouble, send me a signal."

Tokoyami nodded. "Right, of course, sir."

The pair walked along the shore, their bare feet sinking into the wet, clumpy sand. They passed by a group a kids playing volleyball, some surfing and swimming, and a man with a bell selling Italian ice. They kept going even when they were just specks in the eyes of their comrades.

"Aren't you hot in that hoodie?" asked Crow. "Just looking at you makes me sweat."

"Looking at Shouji makes _him_ sweat," Dark Shadow piped up.

Tokoyami glared at the sentient Quirk. "Asahi-san," they had been told not to refer to the adults by their hero names for the day, "I know you didn't ask me to join you on this stroll because you wanted company. But I don't want to talk about my feelings for Shouji."

"Yeah," Crow chuckled, "you've got it hard, kid."

"It makes me wish for the an untimely demise by the hands of the Grim Reaper," said Tokoyami.

Crow had never heard anyone describe love so darkly. It was actually quite a feat. One that made a chill run up the man's spine. "I have to say that I'm a little relieved though. Seeing you act all flustered and frustrated shows me that you can act like an ordinary teen instead of a jaded superhero."

Tokoyami thought back to their very first conversation. He had been told that he was boring or more specifically, he didn't know how to have fun because he was too serious about becoming a hero. But if having fun like a normal kid meant falling for one of his closest friends and acting like an idiot, then he wanted to turn the clock back to one week ago.

"I blame you for these feelings of darkness," Tokoyami mumbled.

"Is that how you talk when your guard is down?" asked Crow.

Tokoyami hadn't even realized. "…Forget I said anything."

They got soft-serve ice cream at a little shop and sat on a bench in the shade to take a break. Neither mentioned much more on the topic. It was nice just to relax in the cool breeze which gently rang the wind chime hanging from the awning of the shop.

Tokoyami wondered what his classmate was doing at that moment. If Gaburi actually showed up, then mass panic would erupt among the beachgoers. Considering how everyone seemed to be normal, it was safe to assume that the escaped convict hadn't made an appearance. Hopefully, it would stay that way for the rest of the day.

"I got a call from my sister-in-law yesterday," Crow suddenly stated. "She's been taking care of my daughter in Tokyo."

Tokoyami was surprised to hear this. "You make it sound like it's rare."

"It is. I usually only get emails," said Crow. "My daughter… hates me." He stared straight ahead, at the horizon, the bright line where the sky touched the sea. "She… blames me for her mother's death. Had I been there with them like I promised, then I could've protected them. But now she doesn't even acknowledge my existence."

"That's… awful."

Crow took a deep breath and leaned back. "My only connection to her is through my sister-in-law. I missed her wedding and the birth of my granddaughter five years ago. Even if I met her today, I might not recognize her." He looked over at Tokoyami. "Can you believe that? A parent and child that are strangers to one another?"

Tokoyami had never met his biological parents but didn't bring that up. It wasn't like his mentor knew that anyway.

"I'm sorry," said Tokoyami.

"Don't be," Crow replied. "It's not like you had anything to do with it."

Tokoyami finished the rest of his cone. "So… why did she call you?"

"She's worried," Crow explained. "Crimes have gone up in Tokyo and with Gaburi on the loose, she was concerned that my daughter and granddaughter would be targeted. So she asked me to promise her that I would come running there if something happened. Of course… I said yes. I want to protect them."

Tokoyami thought about Shouji and his adoptive father. If anything were to happen to them, Tokoyami just knew that he would feel pain comparable to dying a thousand times over. Just thinking about it caused needles to plunge deep into his lungs and heart.

"It's painful to worry about your loved ones," said Tokoyami.

"It really is," Crow sighed.

They went back to the other two but when they arrived, they saw that Shouji was soaking wet and covered in seaweed. It was a deterrent for the girls that were staring earlier as they fled from the sea monster rising out of the ocean. Tokoyami was both relieved and bemused at the sight of his crush trying to clean himself off.

"Need help?" Metalhead asked. "There's some tangled in your hair."

"Ow, ow, ow," Shouji uttered in monotone as his mentor started tugging.

Tokoyami tried to hold back his laughter but it came tumbling out like an overflowing river. Crow couldn't help doing the same upon viewing such a spectacle. Shouji finally pried himself away from Metalhead, handling it himself before looking over at his classmate, cheeks flushed.

"I'm glad," said Shouji, "even if it's at my expense, I like seeing you happy best."

Tokoyami was still holding his sides. "That's such a cheesy line!"

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. There were a few serious villain attacks they had to take care of and they had lunch together at a seafood restaurant. Eventually, they called it a day and returned to their dwellings. But Tokoyami had to wonder if he would ever be able to escape this insufferable cycle of awkward and comfortable with Shouji. Hopefully, it would be the last time.

"How was your day, boys?" Mimi called when they returned home.

She turned around to find that her son was completely drenched and Tokoyami's feathery head was dotted with beige grains of sand. She could tell it wasn't all fun and games. As a mother, she wanted to ask what happened and clean them up. But as a person, she couldn't help bursting into fits of riotous laughter and taking photos of them with her phone, completely forgetting about the cubed pork stew on the stove.

"Mom, please," Shouji groaned.

"I have sand in so many crevices," Tokoyami huffed.

Mimi apologized for laughing and told them to use the bath. She prepared it ahead of time for both of them.

Tokoyami tried to come up with excuses as to why they couldn't bathe together but none came to mind. It wasn't unusual for people to bathe together anyway. But when they entered the bathroom, Tokoyami made sure to keep his eyes up at all times. Well, maybe he took a little peek at Shouji's nether regions. But not for too long. The blood rushed to his head and almost caused a nosebleed.

"I stink of seawater," Shouji muttered, adjusting a towel over his mouth. "Can get my back?"

"With your Quirk, you can probably reach it yourself," Tokoyami commented.

Dark Shadow appeared, seeming indignant. "You always make me get yours! Just wash his back!"

"I agree with Dark Shadow," Shouji chuckled. "Besides, you used him to throw me back into the ocean after I changed."

"Well you're the one who kicked sand into my face!" Tokoyami argued.

Mimi listened to their laughter with a smile on her face though it transitioned into an expression of concern when she heard an unnecessary amount of splashing. About half an hour passed and she knew that the walls and ceiling were probably dripping. So she told them to just hurry up and clean themselves or else they wouldn't get dinner.

"Honestly," Mimi sighed. "Those boys…" She looked back to her pot and noticed it boiling. "My stew!"

The boys came out rubbing at their faces with towels and seeing the mother wallowing in her failure. The food was still edible but she was so distracted by the transformation that her taciturn son had undergone that she forgot to make rice. So then she looked up at Shouji and asked him to do plan B.

"Plan B?" Tokoyami repeated.

"When mom is too tired to cook, I make pizza," said Shouji.

"Make?" Tokoyami blinked. "You don't order it?"

Shouji nodded as he got the premade dough, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese out of the fridge. "It's the only thing I can actually make well so we take advantage of it whenever we can." Before he closed the door, he checked to see what else they had. "Any toppings you prefer? We've got bacon, pepperoni, mushrooms, ham, and some sausages."

"Anything's fine," Tokoyami replied. He turned, hoping his excitement at tasting Shouji's food didn't show.

While Shouji got to work in the kitchen, Mimi sat down with their guest and a photo album. They were looking through a bunch of old photos of the Shouji family but none dating back to kindergarten. It was amazing that after second grade, Shouji managed to maintain the exact same expression for every single picture. Then again, who knew what he was hiding behind his mask.

"Ah, those are the kids from today," said Tokoyami.

Mimi paused on a photo that showed her son during his junior high graduation and two boys beside him. "Oh, it's those delinquents that tagged along with Mezo for the last month of school. They were so impressed that he got into U.A. that they elected him as their leader."

"That explains why they called you Aniki," Tokoyami chuckled.

"I wanted no part of it," Shouji sighed, getting the pizza out and cutting it. "Mom, can you please put the photos down?"

Mimi giggled a bit, closing the album. "Oh? Am I embarrassing you in front of your friend?"

"Yes," Shouji replied. "Also, food's ready."

They sat around the dinner table and each got a slice. As usual, Tokoyami had to eat through the side of his mouth so it looked rather weird trying to make sure the gooey cheese stayed in place as he raised it up to his beak. The flavors of the toppings mixed with the slight crunch of the bread and the savoriness of the cheese was a wondrously delicious combination.

"Wow, it's really good!" Tokoyami remarked.

Shouji's cheeks turned a little red. "Thanks…"

Had it not been for Mimi gushing over her son making the best pizza he's had in a while then Tokoyami might've thought a little deeper about that reaction. But he had resolved not to let his feelings get out of control. It didn't mean he was going to isolate himself like he used to. He just wasn't going to let every little thing bother him.

So he didn't notice when Shouji kept his eyes on him the entire time.


	5. Chapter 5

Tokoyami stared at the black leatherbound notebook Aquila gave him before flying off. It was a planner that contained Morning Crow's daily schedule and for once, they weren't going to be playing tourists. This time, Crow had an appearance planned for a morning talk show so Tokoyami had to accompany him at dawn, acting as a manager would for any other celebrity.

"Today will be a good experience for you," said Crow. "Not all heroes are like your homeroom teacher, Eraserhead. Most of us can't avoid the spotlight even if we wanted to. Some of us can't afford to avoid it because to earn a living, booking interviews and shows can be necessary to increase popularity. Of course, heroes that are just starting out usually have their agents handle that stuff."

They made it to the TV station where they were told to wait in the green room until their cue. Several techies and stagehands offered them refreshments in the form of soft drinks, assorted cheeses, and sliced meats. At some point, a basket of fruit was brought in for Crow from the director of the station as a token of gratitude for agreeing to an impromptu interview. It was a last-minute request to get the hero's thoughts on recent events across the nation.

"You're a U.A. student, right?" one of the stagehands asked.

Tokoyami nodded. "Yes, I am."

"The host might want to ask you some questions too if you're okay with that."

Crow threw an arm around his charge. "What do you think? You'll get a headstart in shaping your public image."

Tokoyami's face was not new to being on the screen. A bunch of reporters had shown up during the USJ invasion to capture the class's faces and the sports festival had been a televised event as well. But this would be the first time that he would have some control of people's perception of him as a rising hero.

"I suppose," said Tokoyami. "Is there anything I should do to prepare?"

They gave him a run-through of how things worked on a talk show. Tokoyami jotted down some notes for future reference like he had seen Midoriya do with basically anything that might prove useful. This would certainly be good experience for when he went pro.

Since the other night, he pushed thoughts of his crush out of his mind. It was more important just to get along platonically with his classmate. But Shouji certainly didn't make it easy. The larger boy was constantly getting too close for comfort and saying lines about how he wanted to keep Tokoyami safe. It was kind of strange but Tokoyami didn't dislike it. But it did get his hopes up which he did dislike.

"So how do you think Gaburi escaped?" the host asked.

Crow adjusted himself and cleared his throat. "We and the police have been working in coalition to figure that out."

Tokoyami watched his mentor out on the stage, seated in an armchair beside the host. Just then, his earpiece buzzed. "Aquila?"

"Right now, we don't have many leads," Crow continued. The entire live audience was paying close attention since they were curious about what he had to say. "However, we have suspicions that he might have connections to a yakuza or some other organized crime syndicate. It was something we've been investigating since we first captured him but he was tight-lipped during all our interrogations."

"So why escape now?"

"Unfortunately, we don't know yet."

" Where's Crow? " asked Aquila. " Is he already on stage? "

Tokoyami had been given strict instructions not to interrupt the show for any reason. "Yes… why, what's going on?"

Aquila swore under his breath. " Damn it, this is bad. Why now? " he grumbled. He took a deep breath to calm down. " Okay, listen to me carefully, Tsukuyomi. Find a phone book or go online or something and call a hero, any hero so long as you think they're strong. Just tell them to go to the junkyard as soon as possible! "

The urgency was palpable in the sidekick's voice. "But what's going on?"

" It's… Gaburi Kiba…, " Aquila stated gravely, " he's engaged in battle with Metalhead and Tentacole. "

Tokoyami's mouth dried up and the world tilted to one side. Without a second thought, he rushed out of the studio, ignoring the stagehands that were telling him that they needed him soon. Aquila was trying to call out to the boy but everyone's words fell on deaf ears. All he could hear was someone far away calling his name and his own footsteps hitting the floor.

"Junkyard, junkyard," Tokoyami muttered as he inputted the coordinates into his cellphone. "Please, let me make it in time."

—X—

Metalhead hung from a massive magnet, unable to turn off his Quirk because he'd fall onto a pike. The sharp point would impale his stomach long before he could harden his body once more. As for Shouji, a rough and scarred hand was closed around his throat. He was struggling to breathe as all six of his arms flailed about but no matter how hard he hit, the criminal refused to let go.

Gaburi Kiba's inmate uniform was dirt-ridden and torn at the sleeves and hem. With a bloodthirsty smile, he looked between his two victims.

 **Name** : Gaburi Kiba

 **Hero Name** : N/A

 **Quirk** : Ripjaws, his teeth are so strong and sharp that they can actually bite deep into extremely hard substances and reduce them to dust. The limit seems to be iron although Metalhead does have some scars from the last time they did battle which serves as proof of Gaburi's strength.

"It's been a while," Gaburi chuckled, his voice gravelly and deep. "Ten years in a cold cell, unable to eat a damn thing except through a tube while the guards just laugh from the other side of the bars. Can either of you pansies even begin to imagine what that's like?"

"I swear Gaburi," Metalhead snarled. "I'll be the one to arrest you again!"

Just then, Tokoyami arrived, panting and sweating. "Shouji!"

His classmate's eyes widened at the sight of him. His mask was ripped, revealing a miniscule section of his mouth. "Stay back! Don't come closer!"

Gaburi glanced over at the birdman. "Oh? Is this your friend, Mezo?"

"Stay away from him!" Tokoyami shouted. "If you hurt him—!"

"I can do what I want with my son, brat!" Gaburi barked back. The entire junkyard became dead silent as everyone there processed what was just said. The criminal, on the other hand, found their reaction to be more than amusing. "Oh? So he never told you about it?" He looked back at the boy whose windpipe he was so close to crushing. "What's wrong, Mezo? Are you really that afraid of what people think?"

Tokoyami's breath was shaky and the strength seemed to vanish from his legs. "You're lying…"

"Want proof?" Gaburi smirked.

"Don't," Shouji whimpered, tears starting to well up. "Please…"

Gaburi reached over and bunched up the fabric of Shouji's costume into a fist around the collarbone. He tore it right off the boy, exposing his mouth. Metalhead and Tokoyami stared in disbelief as they came to the realization that they were seeing the exact same face. Wide jaws, lips that extended from one end to the other, and rows of razor sharp teeth that looked like they could tear through metal.

"The spitting image of your old man," Gaburi grinned. "Are you that ashamed of me, Mezo? Do you think you'll become me?"

Tokoyami's brain turned to mud. His cognitive functions were shutting down. Yet there was a single thought that overpowered his confusion. Shouji Mezo, the person who Tokoyami opened up to for the last few days, was in danger. If he didn't do something soon, then he might actually get killed and the nightmare he had will come true.

"Shut up!" Tokoyami snapped. "Who cares if you're his father? Shouji… Shouji is nothing like you!"

Shouji looked over at his classmate, the sound of his breathing filling his ears. "Tokoyami…"

Gaburi clicked his tongue in frustration. "What an annoying brat."

"Dark Shadow!"

The black shadow beast flew out of the boy's body, rushing straight towards the escapee at top speed. For once, the host was following close behind, wanting to make the fight personal even if he lacked the physical strength his peers had. But without letting go of his son, Gaburi unhinged his jaw and bit into Dark Shadow just as he got close, causing the sentient Quirk to yelp and retract. Then with a solid kick to the chest, Tokoyami was sent flying into a decrepit RV, forming a massive dent in the side.

"Tokoyami!" Shouji called out.

"Seems like that boy is important to you, Mezo," Gaburi chuckled. "I'll be sure to let him see you at your best."

Tokoyami tried to pry himself off of the trash but his limbs groaned in protest, fighting against his own body as he tried to move. But the mere thought of something bad happening to Shouji was a powerful driving force. Still, everything hurt from just one hit. Even his jaw was in so much pain that his words came out garbled and strained. He could barely summon his Quirk.

"Stay… away from him," Tokoyami huffed.

Gaburi was intent on torturing them for a bit. Killing them outright wouldn't be suitable payback for ten years in prison. "Hey, Mezo," he said, "do you remember that game we used to play? The one you loved because it made me happy?"

Shouji became stiff, a horrified expression on his face. Tokoyami had trouble hearing them but seeing the other boy's reaction made his heart pound harder. But before anyone could do or say anything, Gaburi raised one of his son's arms up to his mouth, clamped down on the limb, and ripped it right off his body, sending blood splattering everywhere. Shouji resisted the urge to scream but it came out in a closed-mouth screech.

"Shouji!" Tokoyami gasped.

"The hell are you doing to him?!" Metalhead bellowed.

"It'll grow back," Gaburi cackled. He then looked at his son. "You know, I decided to escape when I heard you were in town. I can take you as my eternal food supply, Mezo. But I must say your arms don't have as much fat as they used to. Any other father might be proud of your current physique but I personally wish your meat wasn't so tough to chew. Heh, well, you'll probably lose it in a few weeks."

"How horrible," Tokoyami rasped. Then, louder, "How can you do and say that to your own child?!"

Gaburi flashed a crimson-stained smile at the other boy. "I told you, I do what I want with my—."

In a blur, a figure appeared directly in front of Gaburi and a knee smashed into his face. The criminal was blasted backwards, letting go of Shouji. They had never felt so relieved to see Morning Crow arriving on the scene. But the expression he made, the glare peeking through the eye holes and the glower, made it seem like a completely different person was standing before them.

"Don't you dare," said the hero, "act as if you have any right to call yourself a parent!"

Aquila suddenly shot down from above and landed under the magnet, knocking the pike out of the way. Metalhead undid his Quirk and landed on his knees. Having to hold out for longer than his time limit was a struggle but thanks to his experience, he knew how to use it better than others with similar abilities.

"Tentacole," Metalhead called, "are you alright?"

Shouji was holding onto his bleeding arm. It wasn't like he was used to the feeling but the pain was a lot duller than it would be had the victim been a normal person. Probably because it wasn't one of his main arms that had gotten eaten.

"I'm fine, now that you're all here," said Shouji.

Morning Crow looked over at Tokoyami before gesturing at his ear. "You left your earpiece on so I heard everything. I'll scold you later about running off on your own." He turned back to Gaburi. "But first, I need to take out the trash."

Gaburi rubbed at his face, blood leaking from his nose. "Crap… I shouldn't have stalled for so long." He knew that if he tried to run, Crow and Aquila would easily catch up. He could overpower one but if they were together, he might actually lose. So he decided to taunt first. "You know Crow, it's unprofessional for you to chase me down. Aren't you just another one of those fake heroes Stain talked about?"

"Perhaps," said Crow. "But right now… I just care about protecting the future generation of heroes."

"My son, a hero?" Gaburi scoffed.

"I said…" Crow vanished and reappeared behind Gaburi, raising his blade. "You have no right to call yourself a parent!"

Metalhead and Aquila rushed forward and Gaburi found himself surrounded. If you blinked, you would've missed the entire fight. It was over in flash.

The police arrived not long afterwards to take their testimonies and take Gaburi into custody, muzzling him to be safe. The heroes were busy recounting the events so they couldn't be with the students as they were escorted into an ambulance though they promise to meet them. Still, Tokoyami felt tension in the air as he silently boarded the vehicle

Shouji… refused to even look at his classmate.

—X—

Everything had happened so quickly. It was almost like some sort of fever dream. But Tokoyami had pinched himself multiple times and nothing changed so he could only assume that everything was real. Which also included Shouji asking the doctor to get them separate rooms despite having shared one for several nights already.

But maybe Shouji just needed to be alone. It was hard to imagine just what kind of emotional turmoil he was going through. Despite his stature and mature disposition, Shouji was actually the youngest of all of class A so his mental state was probably being bombarded from all fronts with more than a kid his age should handle. Though no one should go through what he has.

Tokoyami was a stranger to his biological parents. That was fine by him. His adoptive father once spent a few years in fear of him so that wasn't exactly stellar for Tokoyami's perception of his self-worth. But what was it like to be seen as something other than human by your parent? How could Gaburi Kiba or anyone for that matter even begin to consider their own son… food?

The very question made Tokoyami want to puke.

" I wish I could be there but I'm so glad you're alright! "

Tokoyami was sitting up in the pristine, sanitized hospital room, the window looking out onto the sea, a phone to his head as he spoke to his father in some scandinavian country. As soon as the boy got his cell back from the nurses, he decided to call or text anyone that might need to know about his whereabouts. He had made a promise with his father to contact him if anything bad happened.

"I'm not distracting you from work, am I?" Tokoyami asked.

" Of course not! Besides, your wellbeing is far more important than—. "

The pause allowed Tokoyami to hear a PA system go off in the background as a woman's voice stated that they were looking for pilot Karasuma to board or else the plane would be late. So with a sigh, he said, "Father, I'll talk to you when you come back to Japan. I promise you I'm fine so please focus on flying safely."

" Right, of course. "

After hanging up, Morning Crow entered the room with a basket of apples. The pro hero had arrived a little earlier but didn't want to come in while his nominee was on an important-sounding phone call. It was clear that they had a lot to talk about. To start with, Tokoyami wanted to know how Shouji was doing since no one else would tell him.

"Tentacole will be fine," said Crow, sitting down on a stool and peeling the apples. "His arm has already started regenerating."

Tokoyami didn't feel relieved yet. "Can I go see him?"

"The cops are talking to him right now," Crow replied. "They want to get as much information on Gaburi through him as possible." The hero paused, wondering if it was okay to divulge the following details to someone who liked Shouji so much. "We… also want to find out what traumas he might've gone through so we can adjust Gaburi's sentence accordingly. Child neglect and abuse… among other things."

Tokoyami thought about the severed arm. Had it been night, then he definitely would've gone berserk, losing control of Dark Shadow, and destroyed everything in sight. It was unlikely that an event like this would happen again but if it did, Tokoyami swore that he would take care of the perpetrator personally.

Just then, another visitor showed up. Mimi stood at the door, hair disheveled and clearly out of breath. It looked like she had been crying too. As soon as her eyes met Tokoyami's, she collapsed to her knees. Crow zipped over and caught her just before she hit the floor though, leaving behind the plate of sliced apples in Tokoyami's lap.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" asked Crow.

"Thank you," Mimi said. "I… I was called by the police chief. He said… my ex-husband, no, that monster had… Oh, Mezo…"

"Your son is doing just fine," Crow told her. "You'll be able to see him soon."

Tokoyami watched the mother sob hysterically into her hands, comforted by the hero. At the same time, it was clear that Crow was pained as well having lost his wife to the same man. It was awful knowing that one person was capable of making so many other people suffer. Then again, he supposed it was in a villain's job description.

The time ticked by hour after hour. A nurse delivered a tray of steak and mashed potatoes although they didn't taste nearly as good as they were advertised. The steak was a little undercooked and the potatoes was a little too fluid. But he wasn't about to started complaining when there were people that would eat the flesh of—.

Tokoyami vigorously shook his head. "Crow, can I have more apples?"

"After I lecture you for a bit," the hero replied. "I did say I needed to scold you for running off without saying anything to me."

"My legs," said Tokoyami, looking down, "moved on their own."

Morning Crow didn't seem as eager to chide the boy about his recklessness after hearing that. There was a saying in the hero world. Every genuine hero that fought for justice or for someone else's sake rather than recognition, had one similar quote in their stories. They always concluded with: "My body moved by itself." So without saying a word, Crow just reached over and patted the boy on the head.

"Stain was wrong," said Crow quietly. "There are plenty of true heroes on the rise."

Tokoyami was surprised by the action but didn't pull away from it. "Morning Crow—I'm… really glad I accepted your nomination."

"That makes two of us," Crow smiled.

Another hour passed before Tokoyami was finally given permission to see his classmate. The police had finished their questioning and Mimi had cried herself to sleep at her son's bedside. So Tokoyami had to be careful when entering. Apparently, Shouji had asked not to be seen by anyone—though he meant one specific person—but Crow poked and prodded until he gave in.

Shouji had a grotesque stub of a hand that had to be left uncovered so that it could grow back. So it was hard to look at directly. But the nurses fulfilled his request of giving him a sick mask to cover his mouth. They would've done it without being asked though. Seeing the mouth that also belonged to a cannibal made them reasonably unnerved.

Tokoyami stood a few steps away from the bed. "I won't talk about Gaburi if you're not ready to."

Shouji tenderly caressed his mother's head. "Thank you…"

"But I hear… you don't want to see me."

"I would've preferred it, yes," Shouji admitted shamefully. "But since you're here, I should apologize… for lying to you." He looked down, his bangs covering his eyes. "I understand if you… feel betrayed or don't want to be friends with me—."

"I'm not upset that you lied," Tokoyami interjected. "You… Did you really think I'd run from you if I knew the truth? That's what hurts the most, Shouji. That you thought I would care about some trivial thing such as your relation to a criminal. I care too much about you to let your DNA stop me from…" He bit his tongue. "Just… be honest with me from now on."

Shouji felt tears welling up. "I… I'm sorry."

"If you're really sorry then cry," Tokoyami mumbled. "I know you want to. But you always keep your emotions bottled up."

Shouji chuckled a bit as liquid rolled down his cheeks, falling into his mask. They dropped down one by one and as the torrent continued, they became less controlled, less pretty. As it should for anyone that had gone through what he did. The boy had to relive some of the worst memories of his life but unlike those times, he'd never let himself cry. And unlike those times, he still had a friend that chose to stand by him even after learning the truth.

Once he calmed down, he asked, "You want me to be honest with you, right?"

"Well, you don't have to tell me everything." Tokoyami crossed his arms. "But if you need to talk about something… I'm here."

Shouji took a breath and forced himself to look the other boy in the eyes, "Tokoyami, I like—."

"Tenma?"

The voice had come from outside, in the hallway. Tokoyami recognized the name, having messaged said person the night before and when he was admitted into the hospital. So he told Shouji to hold his thought before rushing out the open door, leaving his classmate in a slightly dejected but bemused state.

Outside, Morning Crow was standing a couple of steps away from a young woman in her late twenties with jet black hair and wearing a pantsuit. A little girl, probably her daughter, who had her mouth in an O shape, was clinging onto her pant leg. Metalhead was nearby, also observing the scene before him with a solemn expression.

"What are you doing here?" asked Crow tentatively.

The woman, Tenma, smiled shyly. "Your nominee asked me to come here last night. So this morning, I got on the first train to Fukuoka and well, here I am." She kneeled down and softly took her daughter by the shoulders. "Dad… this is Sora. And Sora-chan, that man is your grandpa, the most wonderful hero I know."

Morning Crow covered his mouth with a hand and choked back his sobs. "Tenma, but you…"

"I'm sorry," said Tenma. "About a year after I moved away… I realized that I was stupid for blaming you for what happened." Her voice was cracking and her eyes were pooling with water. "But I… was too embarrassed and stubborn to contact you. So when I was told that you missed me… I just had to see you."

Tokoyami smiled as the family reunited with hugs and kisses in the middle of the hallway. The other day, after they went home from the beach, Tokoyami asked Aquila for a favor. He wanted to find out the phone number of Crow's sister-in-law and then after explaining the situation, he was connected to Kamika Tenma. They had a long conversation and before long, she agreed to see her father again.

"Sora-chan," said Crow, "do you plan on becoming a hero too?"

The little girl nodded firmly. "I want to be just like you, grandpa! Mommy says I even get my hair color from you."

"It's true," Tenma giggled. "Silver, just like your grandpa."

They obviously had a lot to catch up on. So Tokoyami figured it was best to give them their privacy. But as he reached for the sliding door handle, Sora noticed him and she suddenly began squealing out his name. It surprised the boy that she even knew him at all.

"It's Tokoyami!" Sora laughed. "I saw you on TV!"

Tokoyami gave her a tiny wave. "It's very nice to meet you, Sora-chan."

Crow rubbed at the stubble on his chin, deep in thought. "You know, ten years down the road, I'll probably be retired but my young charge here, Tokoyami, will be a full-fledged hero. So, Sora-chan, if you go to U.A., do your best at the sports festival to get a nomination from him. I can guarantee that he'll teach you all about how to become the best hero!"

"Really?" Sora gasped, eyes glittering. "I'll definitely become strong, Toko-san!"

"I probably won't be passing down your grandpa's teachings though," Tokoyami chuckled, ignoring the exaggerated hurt face that his mentor made. "I do look forward to seeing your growth, Sora-chan. So if I do nominate you, be sure to pick my agency."

"Okay!"

"Be sure to remember this name: Tsukuyomi."

"Yay! Tsukuyomi!" Sora raised a pinky, holding it up to the older boy. "It's a promise, okay?"

Tokoyami nodded, linking their fingers together. "A promise."

They talked for a little bit before Tokoyami returned to Shouji's room. In that time, Mimi had awoken and went to the bathroom so it was just the two of them. When Shouji heard the other boy enter, he turned away from the window where he had been watching the orange sun sink into the sea.

Shouji absentmindedly rubbed at his bandages, "I was just told that I'll be discharged in the morning."

"That's great," Tokoyami smiled.

"Metalhead also told me that he and Morning Crow will most likely be really busy with the follow up on… Gaburi—so they might not be able to do much mentoring tomorrow," Shouji continued. "So I was wondering if… you'd like to accompany me and my mom to Canal City Hakata."

Tokoyami had heard a lot about that place since Crow kept talking about how that would be their final destination of the week. So it seemed fitting to go through with the plan in the end even if it was with someone else. Then again, he doubted that the hero could resist going to the city within a city with his family since it was filled with shops, restaurants, theaters, and other such attractions. It would be the perfect way to rekindle their familial bond.

"I'd love to," said Tokoyami before remembering. "By the way, what did you want to say earlier?"

"I like you."

"…Eh?"

"Tokoyami Fumikage," said Shouji, "I like you."


	6. Chapter 6

For the hours following Shouji's confession, Tokoyami hated him.

How could he just tear the rug right from underneath his feet? How could he make his head boil with all the blood racing to occupy the space in his skull? How could he make his heart so panicked that it's actually trying to break right through his chest and the far wall? How could he reveal it so easily when Tokoyami had been fighting with his own feelings for the past few days?

But Tokoyami hated himself more. Because as soon as Shouji confessed, Tokoyami could only stutter a bundle of fragments that could not be combined into a coherent sentence. Instead, he finished the 'statement' with goodbye and then fled the room. But not before hitting his face on the door. Because of course he had to embarrass himself one last time before getting out of there as soon as possible.

Tokoyami was finally got it out of his head when having dinner with Mimi. She told him what happened ten years ago.

"I didn't know that my ex-husband was… doing that to my son," she said, "until he was caught."

Apparently, Shouji suffered an injury when he fell off a tree after trying to save a cat. The pediatrician examined the wounded arm and discovered that it was already sealing itself. With further tests, they confirmed that Shouji could regenerate his extra body parts since they weren't part of his main body when he was born. It wasn't long after that her son would come home once month with a new severed limb.

"He didn't tell you anything?" Tokoyami asked.

Mimi was trying hard not to burst into tears. "Gaburi… he said Shouji was just being a reckless little kid. And I believed him."

"You did nothing wrong," Tokoyami stated. "Believing your loved ones… it's what you do. Gaburi took advantage of that."

Shouji was devastated when he heard about his father's arrest. But Mimi stopped the story there, saying it was better if her son told the rest. She didn't feel it was in her place to talk about how someone else felt to such an event and Tokoyami understood the sentiment.

But Tokoyami went back to hating when he found himself alone in Shouji's room. It was a good thing his classmate was a minimalist or else everything would remind him of the guy. But the futon beside his still held the distinct scent of the other boy's soap and a little bit of his sweat.

"You sure like the smell of his pillow, don't you?" Dark Shadow remarked.

Tokoyami pulled his face out of the cushion before pitching it across the room. "I-I was just—."

"Look, I've seen you doing way worse things when you were first going through puberty," said Dark Shadow. "And I'm sure I'll a see a ton more in the future when you and Shouji get together. There is literally no point in hiding this."

That thought hadn't even occurred to him. Even if he decided that he wanted to be more than friends, then they'd be stuck with a permanent third wheel. Sure, Tokoyami could control when his Quirk was allowed to leave his body but when his guard was down, Shadow could make impromptu appearances whenever and wherever.

When you like someone, you can become defenseless. And you trust that they won't hurt you. That's what Crow told him.

Tokoyami sent a haggard look over at his floating Quirk. "But you're bigger concern of mine."

"I'll give you privacy if you ask," said Shadow. "I don't want to see more than I need to either."

"Really?" the boy blinked, surprised by this. "…Well, thanks but…"

Tokoyami still had to figure out what he was going to do the next day. He still didn't know how to reply to Shouji's confession. He couldn't just leave things the way he did at the hospital. But they were friends and classmates first. If their relationship went south, wouldn't it have a negative impact on their school life as a whole?

"You're overthinking," said Dark Shadow. "Just… sleep on it."

"Easier said than done…"

—X—

In the morning, Tokoyami threw on a hoodie and some ripped jeans before sliding into the passenger seat of Mimi's SUV to pick up Shouji at the hospital. The previous night, she had delivered sweatpants, a white undershirt, and a camo poncho to him so that he could be ready for the day. The boys looked at each other, acknowledging one another's existence, but they didn't talk about the confession. Mimi filled up most of the silence on their way anyway.

The seven-building complex known as Canal City Hakata could be seen from where they parked. Even the man-made canal that ran through it was visible from far away. Supposedly, magic shows and other such entertaining performances were held on stages near the water. There was one scheduled for the evening that Mimi really wanted to see.

"Shouji," said Tokoyami as they lagged behind. "About yesterday…"

"You can forget I said anything," Shouji replied quickly. "I just needed you to know. But I'm okay with us just being friends."

Tokoyami didn't know what to say. He couldn't even find the right words to form a reply. It was already too late anyway since Shouji sped up to catch up with his mother. So the other boy just took a breath, stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket, and half-jogged up to them. They were supposed to be enjoying their day anyway.

They stopped at a French bakery to get breakfast. Mimi ordered a croissant and coffee for each of them. But then she noticed Tokoyami staring at the guy making a fruity crepe for a little girl and she told him to order whatever he wanted. When Shouji suggested a caramelized apple crepe, the other boy started involuntarily drooling.

"How is it?" Shouji asked.

Tokoyami dreamily shut his eyes as he felt the whipped cream and sweet fructose melt in his mouth. He was waiting for an ethereal being to gracefully descend from the heavens and tell him that he had found paradise. "There will be nothing that tastes quite as good from this moment onwards."

"I'll take you up on that challenge," Mimi giggled. "Tonight's dinner will knock your socks off!"

"I look forward to it," Tokoyami chuckled.

They ate as they walked, passing by various store windows and looking in. They arrived at the IMAX movie theater after they finished so they decided it was a good idea to watch a film. Coincidentally, they bumped into Morning Crow—out of costume—with his family. They greeted the trio enthusiastically although Mimi didn't recognize Crow until he spoke.

"We should watch something together," Mimi suggested, before looking at Sora. "Something child safe, of course."

Tokoyami glanced over at the poster for a new PG-13 horror movie. "A pity."

"We can watch it together when we go back to school," said Shouji before addressing the rest of the group as a whole. "How about the Pixar movie that just came out? I hear it's really heartwarming." Everyone agreed that it was a good idea and he elected himself to get snacks for everyone. "I'll join you guys in the theater."

"I know you have six arms," Tokoyami sighed, "but let me come with you."

Crow suggestively bounced his eyebrows twice at his charge before leaving with the girls to get their tickets. The birdman felt the heat rise to his face but he couldn't do anything about it. At least, he wasn't going to make scene in front of the others.

As they waited in line to get popcorn, candy, and beverages, Tokoyami started picturing the most cliché scenarios. Like reaching into the bucket of kernels and touching hands with Shouji. Or being offered a Hershey kiss when an attempt to get an actual one fails. Perhaps he should stop going through his social media feeds late at night and finding these corny situations.

"Tokoyami," Shouji called out, "you're acting weird around me again."

The other boy flinched, jumping out of his daydream. "Sorry, what?"

"Please, don't let my confession bother you so much." Shouji scratched the side of his face. "I really do want us to be friends."

"Right, of course, sorry."

Tokoyami didn't want to be awkward around his classmate all the time. So with a breath, he put on a smile and quickly tried to revert to their amicable conversation that they always had in the past. Shouji recognized the attempt and followed along. It was easy if Tokoyami just didn't think about the mushy stuff. They were friends, first and foremost.

They rejoined everyone else in the theater where they seemed to be getting along well. Mimi was playing pattycake with Sora while Crow made jokes that his daughter groaned at. Though Tenma was smiling even as she rolled her eyes to particularly bad old man gag.

Together, the six of them spent the day together. They got lunch at a popular soba restaurant, went shopping for new clothes and some souvenirs to bring back, and it was while they were heading down to the magic show that it started pouring. The storm clouds rolled in without warning, a boom of thunder causing Sora to start bawling, and sheets of water pounded against their heads.

"That weatherman can't get anything right," Crow muttered.

They took shelter in a candy store. Not their best idea as Sora was now running through the many vibrant aisles of gummy bears, gumdrops, sour worms, and lollipops, with her mother in hot pursuit. But at least she wasn't wailing anymore.

"Hopefully it clears up soon," said Mimi, "I really wanted to see the show."

Shouji's phone buzzed and about five seconds later, Crow's earpiece went off. The pair became serious, getting absorbed into their devices. Tokoyami, standing beside his classmate, could see that it was an email from Metalhead with Gaburi Kiba's name in the subject line.

"I asked him to keep my up to date on the case," Shouji explained.

Crow said that he had to go. There might be break in the case according to Aquila. "I have to be there."

The pro hero kissed his family members farewell, waved to the others, and then zipped off into the gale. As for Shouji, he was reading the email aloud so that both his mother and Tokoyami would know what was going on. It seemed that there really might be a connection between Gaburi and a local yakuza group. They still had to investigate further though.

Mimi took a breath. She wondered if now was a good time for the boys to talk or if it was too soon.

"We're all soaking wet," Tenma stated. She knew about the strange circumstances between the teenage boys since they talked about it extensively in the theater. "I'm going to buy candies for Sora. Mimi-san, can you find towels next door?"

Mimi could see what the other woman was trying to do. So with a grateful nod, she took off. "I'll be right back."

"Alone again," Tokoyami mumbled when it was just the two of them.

Shouji glanced over at him. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Tokoyami replied. When he turned over to the other boy, he noticed a rectangular box. "Hm?"

Shouji followed his gaze over to a pink, heart-decorated photo booth. The store was extremely popular among little kids but it had been initially designed to target middle and high schoolers, in particular couples. So the booth was added to get more of their intended demographic to come in.

"Do you want to try it?" asked Shouji.

Tokoyami jumped back like he had been shocked. "Just us?"

Shouji took him by the wrist and started leading—dragging—him over. He was obviously larger and stronger than Tokoyami so it was difficult to resist. "Don't worry, it's not like only couples use it. We can do it as just friends."

"That's not the problem," said Tokoyami.

"Oh…"

One problem was that there wasn't a lot of space inside. The moment Shouji stepped in, there was barely any room for his friend without having an elbow dig into his side. While it was a bit cramped, Tokoyami managed by seating himself on Shouji's knee. The other problem was that Shouji had to uncomfortably bend down so that his face could be seen on camera.

"No, you being big isn't the problem either," Tokoyami sighed. "Well, it is _a_ problem in this case."

Shouji reached over at the screen to pick the settings on the photo. "So what is _the_ problem?"

Throughout the entire day, Tokoyami had been wrestling with himself. What were the pros and cons of just staying friends with someone who has already admitted their affection to him? And those feelings were mutual too even if only one of them was aware of it.

"I like you, Shouji Mezo," said Tokoyami, causing the other boy to freeze. They didn't look at one another as he continued to speak. "I've been wanting to tell you since this morning. But you kept insisting that you were okay with us being friends so it made me think that you had said that you liked me on impulse. So, I guess the real problem is… I like you… a lot."

They didn't say anything after that. But they could hear their own heartbeats in their ears. And the heat from their bodies being so close filled the empty space, making them burn. But neither made any attempt to pull away even if they had space to move in the first place.

"I'm sorry," said Shouji. "I said that to make you more comfortable. But I guess I made you feel the opposite instead."

Tokoyami could feel the other boy's chest on his back. "So you meant what you said yesterday?"

"Yes," Shouji nodded. "I like you, Tokoyami."

"Then…," the smaller boy shifted, looking up at him, "can I see your face?"

"I…"

Tokoyami reached up slowly, letting his fingertips gently brush over Shouji's jaw. "I've barely known you for three months. But I've known Gaburi Kiba for even less time. To me… this face has only ever belonged to you." He pulled the mask down, revealing the mouth that belonged to the person he liked. Wide lips and sharp teeth. "This is Shouji Mezo's face… and I think it's ravishing on you."

Somehow, in that time, Shouji's main set of hands found their way to Tokoyami's waist as they stared into each other's eyes. Isolated inside the photo booth, they could pretend that there was no one else. Nothing to worry about. No villains on the rise. It was just them.

"I really want to kiss you," Shouji chuckled, "but I'm not quite sure how."

Tokoyami smiled. "That makes two of us."

Just because they didn't know didn't mean they weren't about to try. They tilted their heads to the side, gravitated towards one another, and got a taste of the inside of their mouths with their tongues. They could feel their hot breath on their faces, the remnants of the sugar and the salt from earlier still on their taste buds. Their hands tried to stay in place but had to explore. When they finally pulled apart, Tokoyami was enveloped in six arms while his palms were press into Shouji's chest.

"I was wrong about the crepe," Tokoyami remarked breathlessly.

Shouji let out a laugh. "You mean I took my mom's challenge away from her?"

"I might also be wrong about liking you," Tokoyami continued. "I might… love you."

Shouji smiled, the first genuine one he showed with his face. "I think that makes two of us."

They ended up kissing again though it lasted for a much shorter amount of time as a flash went off. They jerked away abruptly as four snapshots were taken in quick succession. They had hit the 'OK' button on the screen in their fervor and a sequence of photos showing them making out and then tearing away popped out outside the booth.

From just outside the curtain came Sora's squeaky, childish giggle. "Mommy look! It's Toko-san and Shou-san."

"Oh my!"

Tokoyami scrambled out of Shouji's arms, throwing the curtain aside and giving a fright to the mother-daughter pair. He frantically grabbed the pictures and stuffed them into his pocket. But the damage had been done. Sora asked why he was trying to eat his friend's face and Tenma was beet red.

Shouji stepped out of the booth, mask back on. A lower hand morphed into an eyeball to get a better look at the images that Tokoyami was trying to hide. "The first one came out good, you look cute. But the rest are blurry."

"Shouji!" Tokoyami snapped.

Just then, Mimi showed up with a stack of towels in her four arms. "Is everything alright? What happened?"

"Mom," said Shouji, forcibly taking Tokoyami's hand in his, "meet your future son-in-law."

"Shouji!"

It took twenty minutes to get Mimi and Tenma to stop blushing. And an additional ten to coax Tokoyami out of the photo booth where he had hid himself. Shouji apologized as sincerely as he could for embarrassing his classmate though he hadn't done it intentionally. But they just left it at that.

The rain had stopped by then and they were heading back out. According to one of the guards of Canal City, the magic show wasn't cancelled. As they were going down to the man-made canal, Tokoyami noticed a rainbow and Sora started enthusiastically pointing at it as they waited for the magician and her assistants to set up the stage.

"Rainbow!" Sora squealed.

"Yeah," Tokoyami chuckled. "It's pretty, right?"

"It's magic," Sora giggled.

They gave their undivided attention to the performance when the magician turned a flower into a dove and it took off towards the radiant colors painted upon the azure canvas. The audience applauded as she produced bouquets and balloons with a snap of her fingers. They were left in awe as she teleported from one side of the stage to the other.

Tokoyami and Shouji were normal once again if there was such a thing. But as the day went on, they found themselves getting closer to one another. They weren't afraid to let their skin come into contact and to lean into each other as they were walking. By the end of the day, they had intertwined their fingers as they went back to the car.

"Bye!" Sora waved. "Next time you see me, I'll be working to be a hero too!"

Tokoyami returned the gesture. "I'll be expecting you at my office when that time comes."

They separated into their original groups. When it was just the three of them driving back, Mimi started asking them questions about their relationship. She was under the impression that they had been going out and just didn't tell her until they were caught. So they had to give her an abridged version of what happened as an explanation.

"I'm going to miss you boys so much," Mimi sniffed. "I'm going to make you the best lunch for tomorrow!"

Tokoyami almost forgot. The week was over. "It just flew by."

"I know what you mean," Shouji nodded. "But a lot has happened and changed."

Tokoyami fidgeted a little in his seat, wondering if this was a good time to ask. "Shouji… about Gaburi…"

Mimi's eyes darted to the rearview mirror. Shouji's grip tightened on Tokoyami's hand. But it didn't seem like either of them were against explaining what had happened. They just hadn't expected it to be so soon.

"My father—no, Gaburi, according to police, had been eating human flesh for a long time," said Shouji. "But it was once a month or maybe even every three months. After finding out that my arms could regenerate, his cravings became more frequent. He told me… that it would make him happy and that sons are meant to make their fathers happy. So he…"

"You don't have to say it," Tokoyami interjected.

Shouji nodded, grateful. "After each time he did it, he'd buy me a gift in order to keep me silent and content. But when he got arrested and everything was out in the open, I threw everything he got me into the trash. At four or five years old, I didn't remember what was a present and what was always there so I emptied my entire room."

"Then he asked to move," Mimi sighed. "Even the house… reminded him too much of Gaburi."

"I'm…" Tokoyami remembered what Crow said about being sorry in such cases so he switched gears. "I'm glad you made it out of that. You're really strong, Shouji. So, it's okay to let down your guard every now and then."

"I know," Shouji said.

"I'll protect you."

"And I, you."

—X—

Tokoyami and Shouji decided to take walk one last time in Fukuoka. They wandered away from the house, in the direction of the ocean, their eyes towards the sky. Counting the stars was an impossible task, but keeping track of the constellations was a tad easier. Especially when one of them actually knew all eighty-eight of them.

"I can only identify the Little and Big Dipper," Shouji chuckled.

"Those are actually asterisms," Tokoyami grinned, "a certain grouping of stars." He then raised a finger skywards, connecting the dots of the two dippers to other shining points nearby. "They're a part of Ursa Minor and Ursa Major, the bears."

Shouji was impressed that the smaller male knew so much. Especially since he had overheard him being scolded for his low test scores by Ectoplasm. But he supposed academics wasn't a good indicator of one's intellect in other topics. If astronomy was a core subject that they had to take, then Tokoyami might actually stand at the top.

They stopped at a nearby park. If they closed their eyes, then they could hear the ebb and flow of the waves. But the sound of chirping crickets and the squeaking of the swingset that they sat upon filled the air instead.

"Tell me more," Shouji urged.

Tokoyami stared up at the sky. "Well, Ursa Major is neighbored by Draco and Lynx and…"

If he was asked, Shouji was definitely paying attention. Just not quite to everything the other boy was saying but the speaker himself. The glitter in his eyes as he listed off which formations he was familiar with and the stars that made them up. The buildup in enthusiasm in his voice when he got to his more favored ones.

"When's your birthday?" Tokoyami asked suddenly.

"Hm?" Shouji blinked. "Oh, uh, February fifteenth."

"An Aquarius," Tokoyami nodded before getting a horror struck expression on his face. "So we aren't compatible?!"

So it wasn't astronomy, but astrology that Tokoyami had an interest in. Perhaps Shouji should've guessed that. It seemed more fitting of an image for the bird-headed boy to be dressed in dark robes while performing seances and flipping tarot cards instead of observing celestial bodies through a telescope.

"Fate never favored me much," Shouji shrugged. "So if the stars say we can't be together, then I'll prove them wrong."

Tokoyami fiddled with his fingers as he muttered, "A Scorpio and an Aquarius don't typically get along though."

"Hey…" Shouji dragged his swing closer to Tokoyami's. "Don't forget that we've both confessed our feelings already. You can't just back out of it because some balls of hot gas from billions of lightyears away say so. I love you and I'll repeat that as many times as I need to for you to understand that."

Tokoyami hadn't expected such an aggressive response from the larger boy. If he were to say that he didn't feel ten times more attracted to Shouji in that moment, then he'd be lying. So he had to hide his steaming face by turning the other way.

"I do understand," he mumbled. "Sorry… I'm still new to relationships."

"Well… you're not the only one," said Shouji.

"So are we… boyfriends now?"

Shouji took a moment to think about, tilting forward and back. "I think so. We've already kissed mouth to mouth and I don't think that's something that 'just friends' do. Well, maybe they do in other countries but not around here. We also said 'I love you' and shared a bed and have a first date set."

"We do?" Tokoyami blinked.

"The horror movie you wanted to see," Shouji clarified. "Then we can have dinner at the place of your choice."

For some reason, they went off on a tangent on what would make a good first date. The pair discussed going on a picnic since summer was just around the corner, or perhaps to a bowling alley, or maybe an art museum. After a while, they got a text from Mimi asking when they would be back and they realized how late it was.

Returning to the house, they were told of a new house rule stating that they were not allowed to do anything lewd. So that meant they had to take their baths separately. Tokoyami was actually thankful since he was already having indecent thoughts about Shouji. They were still going to sleep in the same room though. It was just for one more night.

"I got a question," Tokoyami broached as they turned off the light. "Are all our kisses going to be so… wet?"

"They don't have to be," said Shouji as they got into their futons. "I can kiss you like this." With a morphed hand, he smooched the side of Tokoyami's beak, making him heat up. "Quick pecks like that aren't so wet."

"I meant mouth kisses," Tokoyami rephrased.

"Well… I don't know how else to kiss you," said Shouji.

"It just feels…"

"Lewd?"

"Yeah."

About ten seconds of silence passed between them before Shouji finally said, "It'll be really good foreplay," which earned him a pillow in the face. Another ten seconds passed before he removed the cushion away from him. "I was joking."

Tokoyami let out a sigh. "It's hard to tell because there's no change in your tone at all."

"I've been told that before," said Shouji, returning the pillow. "Tokoyami?"

"Hm?"

"Is it okay if I hold you?"

They merged their futons into a single spread of bedding, moving the sheets down to their waists so it wouldn't get so warm. Tokoyami didn't know where to place his own arms when Shouji wrapped his around him, hands practically covering the entirety of his back. But he was able to find a comfortable spot where his head fit between Shouji's chin and collarbone.

"I meant what I said in the candy store," Shouji whispered.

Tokoyami felt like he could fall asleep right then and there which was unusual. His insomnia often kept him up for maybe an hour or two before the fatigue finally took over. "You said a lot of things back then."

"The future son-in-law comment," he clarified. "I know we just started going out. But… I want to be with you forever."

Tokoyami shifted, torn between looking up and keeping his head down. "You don't know what tomorrow will bring." It was scary how easily he could imagine Shouji getting up and leaving him forever. "You might change your mind after you learn more about me."

"I won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because you didn't change your mind about me."


	7. Chapter 7

The skies were gray but Tokoyami was feeling a shade of pink. Because he woke up in the tender loving arms of his new boyfriend. There was a light pitter-patter against the window though at first, Tokoyami had confused it for the beating in his chest. Then their phone alarm went off and for just a moment, he wanted to snooze it so they could stay that way for a little longer. Even if it was just for five minutes. But they couldn't.

"We have a train to catch," said Tokoyami, letting out a yawn and sitting up.

Shouji rubbed at his eyes, brushing his hair out of his face. "Not for another two hours."

They still had to pack their things, get dressed, eat breakfast, and drive to the station. So they needed that much time to prepare. But it was hard to focus on the task of folding their costumes into their cases when they kept looking over at one another and involuntarily making stupid faces at each other. It was so hard to see each other without feeling giddy about just being in the same room.

Tokoyami was trying not to laugh. "Stop."

"What?" Shouji chuckled.

"I can see your hand—mouth…," said Tokoyami, looking at the particular limb getting closer, "are you trying to kiss me?"

Shouji shrugged as he tucked his spandex suit into the case. "Maybe."

"Just ask and I _might_ let you."

"Okay, can I kiss you?"

"Mm… No."

The rest of their belongings were left forgotten as they started running around the barren room. Shouji was chasing after the smaller boy, four mouths making smooching sounds. In the meantime, Tokoyami was doing his best to avoid them, summoning Dark Shadow to help keep him at bay. During this, they were laughing boisterously as they managed to make a mess with just the sheets and pillows.

Things finally came to an end when Shouji tackled Tokoyami to the ground. They landed on one of the futons with a heavy thud. Tokoyami was propped up by his elbows while Shouji had him trapped with a wall of limbs to either side of his captive.

"Can I kiss you now?" Shouji asked.

Tokoyami reached up, tugging the mask down and simultaneously lifting himself up. They parted their lips, tilted their heads, and yanked themselves apart when Mimi threw open the door. Tokoyami's head hit the hardwood floor and Shouji had practically jumped across the room and smashed into the wall. So they both held their bruised parts while the mother apologized for interrupting.

"But this is why I have the no lewdness rule," said Mimi. "So I don't walk in on you by accident."

Tokoyami looked at his phone, inhaling sharply through his teeth as he checked the time. "We wasted a whole ten minutes…"

"Well if you had just let me kiss you," Shouji groaned, "this wouldn't have happened."

"Don't put this one on me," Tokoyami huffed.

Mimi put a hand to her chest, gushing about their first couple's squabble. But then she reminded them that they had to hurry up or else their train would leave and another wasn't going to come until the afternoon. If they wanted time to settle back into their dwellings in Shizuoka, then they couldn't waste any time bickering.

Shouji rolled up the futons to store them back into the closet. "I hope _all_ of our fights are that silly." He kept his back facing the other boy. "I don't think I'd be able to handle it if things were to ever get more serious than that."

"Everyone has disagreements," said Tokoyami. "Some are going to get more heated than this one…"

It wasn't a prospect that either of them wanted to delve into. A relationship wasn't without its ups and downs. They were well aware of that fact. But Tokoyami and Shouji both knew what it was like to be abandoned by someone that was supposed to love them. The pain of being unwanted was something they never wanted to experience again. Yet something about the other boy made them want to risk it.

"I didn't hurt you when I pushed you to the floor, right?" Shouji asked, wanting to change the subject.

"You're worried about that?" Tokoyami chuckled. "I'm sturdier than I look, you know."

Shouji nodded before wandering over and pulling the smaller frame into his arms, holding him there. "I know." The only sound in the entire house came from the sizzle of eggs being dropped into a skillet. "I hold your strength to high regard. You had my interest when you kept me out of the top five during the apprehension test and my admiration when you got third place in the sports festival."

Tokoyami reached up and rubbed his hands across Shouji's arms, knowing how strong they could be but how gentle they were around him. It was strange knowing that perhaps it was Shouji who started liking him first. Even if it started out as nothing more than just respect.

"Well," said Tokoyami, "I wouldn't have made it that far had Midoriya not chosen me or if I had to fight Bakugou sooner."

"I still think you're amazing."

"I think the same of you."

Mimi finished setting the plates onto the table and tiptoed back to her son's room. This time, instead of just barging in, she cracked open the door to peek in. The guys were standing in the middle of the room, making out like the hormonal teenagers that they were. Slowly, she shut the door, stealthily returned to the kitchen and pretended that she had never moved from the spot.

"Boys!" Mimi called. "Breakfast is ready!"

"Be right there!" Shouji returned. "We were just… packing!"

Mimi shook her head. "Better hurry up!" Did her son think she was born yesterday?

Tokoyami and Shouji raced to make up for lost time, haphazardly tossing their clothes and other stuff into their bags. They changed, washed their faces, fixed their hair/feathers, and quickly ate breakfast under the knowing gaze of Mimi. Finally, they stepped outside into the chilly morning, a fog from the sea settling over them and misting up the windshield of the car.

There weren't many people at the train station when they arrived and got their tickets and onto the platform. It was there that Morning Crow, Metalhead, and Aquila met up with them, wanting to say goodbye in person and give some last words of advice to the aspiring heroes. After all, the whole point of their trip was to learn about the business from actual professionals.

"The week really flew by," Crow grinned. "Sorry for not being the best teacher, kid."

"To be honest," said Tokoyami, "I got more than I expected considering my first impression."

Aquila nodded sagely. "I said the exact same thing after my first week of being his sidekick."

Metalhead shook hands with his own nominee. "I'll be sure to give you any major updates on the case if they come up." He then addressed the boy's mother over his shoulder. "I'll also keep you safe if that scumbag escapes again, ma'am."

"Though his trial will likely end in him getting the death penalty," Aquila reminded him.

"Oh, so were you just flirting with Miss Shouji?" Crow teased.

"What!" Metalhead snapped, turning a bright shade of red. "Don't compare me to you!"

The heroes talked about keeping watch over Fukuoka to finally eradicate gang activity in the prefecture. Crow said that if they couldn't get the job done by the time the students graduated, then Tokoyami should consider returning to be his official sidekick. Both Metalhead and Aquila said that it was probably a bad idea and that Crow should really think about retirement.

"You're already fifty-four," said Aquila.

Crow pounded his chest with a fist. "I'll retire when I'm sixty!"

The train came into the station though it wouldn't leave for some time. Tokoyami and Shouji couldn't bring themselves to step off the platform yet either. Not without thanking them all for taking care of them for the last few days. So in unison, they politely bowed to the adults as Aizawa had taught them to do.

"Thank you for everything," said Tokoyami. "I really am glad to have accepted your nomination, Morning Crow."

The Lightspeed Hero sniffed, wiping at a tear. "You really know how to make a grown man cry."

Shouji set down his briefcase and walked over to his mother. They arranged their multiple arms so that they could embrace one another properly. "I love you Mom, take care of yourself." He then looked up at Metalhead. "Thank you for giving me the day off yesterday. I know you did it because you thought I needed it after everything that happened."

Metalhead crossed his arms and turned his head the other way. "Well if a hero can't take care of himself, then he won't be able to take care of the public." He then sent a glare over at Crow. "You just shouldn't be spending _all_ of your time playing around."

"Aw, just admit that you like me," Crow grinned.

Mimi finally pulled away from her son. "I love you too, Mezo. Don't forget to call once a week. Or if you have any problems you wish to talk about. Or if you just miss me." She then sent a smile Tokoyami's way. "You should call too! If my son ever gives you trouble, I'll straighten things out with him."

"Thank you, Mimi-san," Tokoyami chuckled.

Morning Crow had one other thing to say. He placed his hands behind his back and stood up completely straight to address the young heroes properly. "Tsukuyomi and Tentacole, we've only known you for less than a week, but we were honored to work with you."

Metalhead nodded along. "We know that you will both make extraordinary heroes one day."

"I look forward," said Aquila, "to seeing how much stronger you boys become next sports festival. My eyes won't miss it."

The conductor of the train made a final call for remaining passengers to come on board. So Tokoyami and Shouji picked up their things and were about to set off. But just then, almost all four of the adults called out at the same time.

"Wait," said Mimi. "I almost forgot to give you this! I went out to buy them last night."

Shouji held out a hand and received a box of condoms. The U.A. students progressively became redder the longer they stared at it. "M—Mom!"

"Are they too small for you?" Mimi asked.

"Mom!"

Crow had done the same thing as the concerned mother, stuffing a box into Tokoyami's hands. "Well, you're teenage boys so I figured you could use them. Not to mention… with no adult supervision, you'll _definitely_ need extra." Each syllable out of his mouth was like a tomato being thrown at their faces. "Don't want to spread any viruses, you know?"

"Metalhead, Aquila," Tokoyami muttered, looking over, "don't tell me you two…?"

Aquila coughed into his fist before pulling out yet _another_ box. "Better safe than sorry.

"For once, I agree with Crow," Metalhead mumbled, also holding one. "Growing boys…"

"We're not going to need this much!" Tokoyami practically yelled, his feathers having changed into a completely different color at this point. They hadn't attracted any attention since all the heroes were in their civilian clothes but people were certainly looking now. "This is a black carnival of shame."

"We'd have to get through all of them before they expire," added Shouji.

"Don't say that like you've accepted a challenge!" Tokoyami ran into the train, not wanting to deal with them anymore. "We gotta go!"

"Wait, Tokoyami!" Shouji called after him, bowing one more time and stuffing the 'gifts' into his bag. "Tokoyami!"

Crow let out a sigh as he waved to Tokoyami through the window. "They grow up so fast…"

"You didn't even know them a month ago," said Aquila.

"Yeah, well, still."

With Dark Shadow's help, Tokoyami got everything onto the rack overhead before sitting down. Not long after, Shouji stumbled in, storing his stuff and sliding into the seat across from the other boy. They both looked out the window, giving one last wave goodbye to their loved ones, old and new, as the train pulled out of the station.

It wasn't until the scenery changed into sea, raindrops sending streaks across the glass, that Shouji finally spoke. "I didn't mean it as a challenge…," he said quietly, "but it does feel like they would be a waste if we—."

Tokoyami's head jerked in the other boy's direction. "You actually took them?!"

"Well they bought them for us!"

"Then _they_ can use them!"

They both froze up, realizing that they were quarrelling again about another ridiculous topic. They burst into laughter, partially relieved that it wasn't anything serious but also because they simply found it funny. Once they calmed down, they decided to push the subject out of their minds. It wasn't important at the moment anyway.

Instead, they focused on the class group chat that was starting to blow up. Everyone was excited to be seeing one another tomorrow on Monday. They were already relaying some of their more enjoyable experiences and asking what others did.

"Tokoyami," said Shouji, "what should we say?"

"What do you mean?" Tokoyami asked.

"Well, we're boyfriends now," Shouji clarified, "but our class doesn't know that."

Tokoyami hadn't really thought about it. They talked about going on dates and that it was probably best that they not thoughtlessly kiss in front of their friends. But actually letting the class in on the details of their relationship was a gray area. It was doubtful that any of them would be against the idea of them dating but he could just imagine the teasing and the prying and the noisy squealing.

"We don't have to tell them," said Tokoyami. "If they ask if we're seeing anyone or some variation of that question, then we'll indulge them with honesty. But otherwise, I think I'd prefer it if we kept our relationship hidden in the shadows." He paused. "That is, if you're okay with that."

"Of course I am," Shouji replied. "I actually think it's a good idea."

[Hagakure]: _Shouji! What happened with you over at Kyushu?_

[Kaminari]: _Oh yeah, didn't you and Tokoyami have a run-in with a cannibal or something?_

[Satou]: _Whoa, what? I didn't hear about this!_

This was something they knew how to answer. U.A. was already in hot water and their mentors would end up in trouble too if the public knew that two underaged students had gotten involved with a big villain attack. It would also be bad news if people knew that a hero-in-training was related to a violent criminal. So the police department, the heroes, and Principal Nezu agreed that it should be kept secret.

But Tokoyami and Shouji agreed on their own that they would tell their friends one day. At least about the blood that ran in Shouji's veins since they deserved to know about such things. They just wouldn't get to know it any time soon.

[Shouji]: _Yeah, but don't worry, we're both fine._

[Tokoyami]: _We got minor injuries. The pro heroes did most of the fighting._

[Ojiro]: _Still, that's got to be scary._

[Asui]: _We're glad you guys are okay._

[Ashido]: _Sounds a lot more exciting than watching your mentor do paperwork though. I didn't realize so much of hero work involved that._

They joined in the conversation for a while before they had to put down their phones to eat lunch. Mimi had packed personalized bento boxes with their favorites. The one thing that was the same about their meals was the square of white rice with a pink heart in the center. They were going to miss the mother's home cooking.

"By the way," said Shouji, "is it okay if I come over to have some of your cooking every now and then?"

Tokoyami broke apart his disposable chopsticks, almost poking his eye out. "What? Well… I don't mind but…" He thought back to the way Shouji had reacted to his food the first time he ate it. "I was under the impression that you weren't a fan of the breakfast I made."

"I loved your cooking!" Shouji stated defensively.

"Then why did you say it so… devoid of emotion?" asked Tokoyami.

"I was… overwhelmed by how good it tasted," he confessed, hanging his head in a way that made his hair obscure his face. "And my mom and Dark Shadow were both talking about how you would make someone really happy one day with your food and I became scared that… that person wouldn't be me."

Tokoyami clutched at his chest, trying to calm his heart the same way he would a raging Dark Shadow. It was amazing how this one guy could send his entire being straight into a mad haven of love. How were they going to keep their relationship on the down-low if lines like that were going to be thrown and reactions like this would just… happen?

"Okay, fine," said Tokoyami, "but only if you agree to make me pizza sometimes."

Shouji nodded. "Done."

At some point, they got an email from Mimi. Attached to it was a bunch of photos from the other day when they were at Canal City. She even decorated the ones with just the two of them with mushy borders and a plethora of hearts. They knew that she did it to show how supportive she was of their relationship but it just made them blush. It did remind Tokoyami of something important.

"About that picture we got from the photo booth," he said, "I cut off and threw away the blurry ones but I couldn't bring myself to dispose of the one of us kissing." He had stuffed it into his wallet so he pulled it out to show Shouji. "Do you think we should keep it?"

"It'll be a good reminder of our first kiss," said Shouji. "Even if it is technically out second. So why not?"

"Well, I don't want anyone stumbling upon it…," Tokoyami muttered.

"Just keep it somewhere safe and private," Shouji chuckled. "In case you start doubting my faith in us like last night."

Tokoyami nodded before returning the picture and pulling something out from his back pocket, trying not to look directly at Shouji. Hanging from his fist and clinking against each other was two little metal trinkets. "Also… I bought these yesterday on impulse when we were at a boutique." A silver crescent moon with a gold border and a golden sun with a silver border and eight squiggly rays. "The moon for me and the sun, which reminded me of an octopus, for you."

Shouji reached over and took the sun charm, staring at it intently. "I…"

"I know you're a minimalist because material objects remind—."

"I love it," Shouji interjected. "We're matching."

Tokoyami finally looked up at Shouji and he could see the smile even through the mask. "Yeah… we're matching."

They got into the same side of the booth to share a kiss. They still had some hours before the train got into Shizuoka but that was okay. It meant more time together. The sky had also cleared up, beams of bright light washed over them, giving their bodies a little radiance. And their kiss wasn't as wet as their other ones. It was more about the closeness than the taste. And when they finished, they sat side by side in the sun.

They would have more than enough time when they got back to go on their first official date. To go to all of their favorite places. To see Karasuma and introduce him to Shouji. But for that moment, they just wanted to catch up on the sleep they had missed. Theirs fingers intertwined, bodies leaning against one another, and eyes softly shut. Dark Shadow appeared, retrieving Shouji's poncho from above to use as a blanket for them.

"Fumikage," said Shadow. In the light, he shouldn't have so much control. But Tokoyami's guard had dropped completely. "You look really happy. I'm glad."

It was one week in Kyushu when everything changed.


End file.
